


The De-Aged Doctor and the Blood of Olympus

by Whovian101



Series: The De-Aged Doctor and the Heroes of Olympus [5]
Category: Doctor Who, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:14:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 51,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26457004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whovian101/pseuds/Whovian101
Summary: The Doctor, Annabeth, Percy, Leo, Piper, Jason, Frank, and Hazel are on a quest to stop Gaea.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Hazel Levesque/Frank Zhang, Jason Grace/Piper McLean
Series: The De-Aged Doctor and the Heroes of Olympus [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1717288
Comments: 73
Kudos: 18





	1. Disguises and Dinner Parties

The Doctor forgot how irritating it was being old. His joints ached and his legs shook as he tried to climb the hill.

His fingers were gnarled and boney. Bulging blue veins webbed the backs of his hands.

“Almost there.” Piper smiled encouragingly.

She and Annabeth were disguised as lovely Greek serving maidens. Piper’s mahogany hair was pinned up in a braided spiral. Silver bracelets adorned her arms. Both she and Annabeth were wearing white sleeveless gowns and laced sandals.

The group had decided that since the Doctor had the most experience being an old man, he would be the one to be disguised as such. The Doctor hadn’t thought it would be that bad of an idea at the time, but Hazel’s magic was much too effective.

The Doctor glanced uphill. They still had a hundred meters to the summit.

“This is bloody awful.” The Doctor grumbled. “I would’ve been a much better serving maiden.”

“You would be a lovely maiden.” Annabeth assured him. She looked uncomfortable in her outfit. She kept hunching her shoulders to keep the dress from slipping. Her pinned-up blonde bun had come undone in the back and her hair dangled down.

“We infiltrate the palace,” She said. “We get the information we need, and we get out.”

Piper set down her amphora, the tall ceramic wine jar in which her sword was hidden. From her waist cord hung her cornucopia. Tucked somewhere in the folds of her dress was her knife, Katopris. “We can rest for a second. Catch your breath, Doctor.”

“I don’t need to catch my breath,” The Doctor cried indignantly. “My respiratory system is _far_ superior than your little ape lungs, I –”

“He definitely needs to catch his breath.” Annabeth decided, slinging her own amphora off her shoulder. She too had a concealed sword. “He insults humans whenever he’s tired or irritated or frustrated or…well, you get the point.”

Piper smirked and offered the Doctor a hand to help him to the ground. The Doctor declined it and dropped down. Painfully.

Below them, Afales Bay glittered. A few hundred meters offshore, the _Argo II_ rested at anchor. Likely the rest of the crew were watching following their progress, taking turns on Leo’s spyglass.

The island itself was lovely. A spine of forested hills twisted down its center. Chalky white slopes plunged into the sea. Inlets formed rocky beaches and harbors where red-roofed houses and white stucco churches nestled against the shoreline. The hills were dotted with poppies, crocuses, and wild cherry trees. The breeze smelled of blooming myrtle.

“You sure this is the right hill?” Annabeth asked nervously. “Seems kind of – you know – _quiet._ ”

Piper studied the ridgeline. “The ruins are up there,” She promised. “I saw them in Katoptris’s blade. And you heard what Hazel said. ‘The biggest –’”

“‘The biggest gathering of evil spirits I’ve ever sensed,’” The Doctor recited. “Sounds brilliant.”

After the underground temple of Hades, the last thing the Doctor wanted to do was deal with more evil spirits. But the fate of the quest was at stake. The crew of the _Argo II_ had a big decision to make. If they chose wrong, they would fail, and the entire world would be destroyed.

Piper’s blade, Hazel’s magical senses, and Annabeth’s instincts all agreed – the answer lay here in Ithaca, at the ancient palace of Odysseus, where a horde of evil spirits had gathered to await Gaea’s orders. The plan was to sneak amongst them, learn what was going on and decide the best course of action. Then get out, preferably alive.

Annabeth readjusted her golden belt. “I hope our disguises hold up. The suitors were nasty customers when they were alive. If they find out we’re demigods.”

“Hazel’s magic will work,” Piper said.

 _The suitors:_ a hundred of the greediest, cruelest cutthroats in Greek Mythology. When Odysseus, the Greek king of Ithaca, went missing after the Trojan War, these suitors had invaded his palace and refused to leave, each hoping to marry Queen Penelope and take over the kingdom. Odysseus managed to return in secret and slaughter them all – but if Piper’s visions were right, the suitors were now back, haunting the place they’d died.

Soon they resumed their climb. Despite the heat, the Doctor began to shiver. Ever since the House of Hades, his dreams had gotten more and more vivid. Nico had warned them that the House of Hades would stir their worst memories, making them see and hear things from their past. Their ghosts would become restless. Usually what the Doctor would see was Gallifrey, but on occasion he’d be watching Rose’s beautiful face fade away – Her ‘I love you’ left unanswered. He’d hear the _bang_ of a gun as blood bloomed from Jenny’s chest –

“Almost there,” Annabeth shook him from his memories. “Let’s –”

 _BOOM!_ The hillside rumbled. Somewhere over the ridge, a crowd roared in approval, like spectators in a coliseum.

“What was that?” Annabeth murmured.

“Dunno,” The Doctor said. “But it looks like we’re about to.”

“Come on,” Piper said. “Let’s go make some dead friends.”

As per usual, the situation was so much worse than the Doctor had anticipated.

It wouldn't have been any fun otherwise.

Peering through the olive bushes at the top of the rise, the Doctor could see what looked like an undead frat party.

The ruins themselves weren’t all that impressive: a few stone walls, a weed-choked central courtyard, a dead-end stairwell chiseled into the rock. Some plywood sheets covered a pit and a metal scaffold supported a cracked archway.

But superimposed over the ruins was yet another layer of reality – a spectral mirage of the palace as it must have appeared in its prime. Whitewashed stucco walls lined with balconies rose three stories high. Columned porticoes faced the central atrium, which had a massive fountain and bronze braziers. At a dozen banquet tables, houls laughed and ate and pushed one another around.

They had been anticipating maybe a hundred spirits, but nearly twice that were milling about, chasing spectral serving girls, smashing plates and cups, and overall just making a nuisance of themselves.

Most looked like the Lares from Camp Jupiter – transparent purple wraiths in tunics and sandals. A few revelers had decayed bodies with gray flesh, matted clumps of hair, and nasty wounds. Others appeared to be regular living mortals – some in togas, others in modern business suits or army fatigues. The Doctor could even see a young man in a purple Camp Jupiter T-shirt and Roman legionnaire armor.

In the center of the atrium, a gray-skinned ghoul in a tattered Greek tunic paraded through the crowd, holding a marble bust over his head like a trophy. The other ghosts cheered and slapped him on the back. As the ghoul got closer, the Doctor noticed he had an arrow in his throat, the feathered shaft sprouting from his Adam’s apple. Even more disconcerting: the bust he was holding was that of Zeus.

“Our next offering!” The ghoul shouted, his voice buzzing from the arrow in his throat. “Let us feed the Earth Mother!”

The partiers yelled and pounded their cups. The ghoul made his way to the central fountain. The crowd parted, and the Doctor realized the fountain wasn’t filled with water. From the meter high pedestal, a geyser of sand spewed upwards, arching into an umbrella-shaped curtain of white particles before spilling into the circular basin.

The ghoul heaved the marble bust into the fountain. As soon as Zeus’s head passed through the shower of sand, the marble disintegrated. The sand glittered gold, the colour of ichor, and then the entire mountain rumbled with a muffle _BOOM,_ as if belching after a meal.

The dead partygoers roared with approval.

“Any more statues?” The ghoul shouted to the crowd. “No? Then I guess we’ll have to wait for some _real_ gods to sacrifice!”

His comrades laughed and applauded as the ghoul plopped himself down at the nearest feast table.

“That’s got to be Antinous.” The Doctor said.

“He was one of the suitors’ leaders.” Annabeth explained to Piper. “If I remember right, it was Odysseus who shot him through the neck with that arrow.”

Piper winced. “You’d think that would keep a guy down. What about all the others? Why are there so many?”

“I dunno,” The Doctor murmured. “Newer recruits for Gaea? They must’ve come back to life before we closed the Doors of Death, though some are just spirits.”

“Think they can be killed?” Piper asked.

“What happened to taking the diplomatic route?” The Doctor demanded.

“I’m pretty sure these guys eat human flesh,” Annabeth said, “So, the diplomatic route might not be the best option here. Let’s just stick to the plan. Split up, infiltrate, find out why they’re here. If things go back –”

“We use the backup plan,” Piper said.

The Doctor wasn't a fan of the backup plan.

Before they left the ship, Leo had given each of them an emergency flare the size of a birthday candle. Supposedly, if they tossed one in the air, it would shoot upwards in a streak of white phosphorus, alerting the _Argo II_ that the team was in trouble. At that point, the Doctor, Annabeth, and Piper would have a few seconds to take cover before the ship’s catapults fired on their position, engulfing the palace in Greek fire and bursts of Celestial bronze shrapnel.

It was not the safest plan.

“Be careful.” The Doctor advised Piper and Annabeth.

Piper crept around the left side of the ridge. Annabeth went right. The Doctor picked up his walking stick – he hadn’t wanted it, but the girls _insisted_ he used it – and he made his way towards the ruins.

He passed through the palace’s ghostly gateway. He realized just in time that a section of mosaic was an illusion covering a three meter deep excavation pit. He sidestepped it, continuing into the courtyard.

Just ahead of them, Piper was moving through the crowd, smiling and filling wine glasses for the ghostly revelers. If she was afraid, she didn’t show it. So far the ghosts weren’t paying her any special attention. Hazel’s magic must have been working.

On the right, Annabeth collected empty plates and goblets. She wasn’t smiling.

The Doctor remembered the conversation he’d had with Percy just before leaving the ship.

Percy had stayed aboard to watch for threats from the sea, but he hadn’t liked the idea of Annabeth going on this expedition without him – especially since it would be the first time they were apart since returning from Tartarus.

He’d pulled the Doctor aside. “Hey, Doctor…Annabeth would kill me if I suggested she needed anybody to protect her.”

The Doctor had laughed. “You’ve got that right.”

“But look out for her, okay?”

“Of course.” He’d promised.

Now he was wondering if he could keep that promise.

The Doctor reached the edge of the crowd. A raspy voice cried, “IROS!”

Antinous, the ghoul with the arrow in his throat, was staring directly at him. “Is that you, you old beggar?”

Hazel’s magic did it’s work. Cold air rippled across his face as the Mist subtly altered his appearance, showing the suitors what they expected to see.

“That’s me!” He called.

A dozen more ghosts turned towards him. Some scowled and gripped the hilts of their glowing purple swords. It wasn’t the worst greeting the Doctor’d gotten.

He made his way forwards. “‘M late to the party, I see. Hope you lot saved me some food.”

The moment the words left his mouth, he wondered if the English accent would be a bit of a giveaway.

One of the ghosts sneered in disgust. “Ungrateful old panhandler. Should I kill him, Antinous?”

That wasn’t particularly good.

Antinous regarded him for a three count, then chuckled. “I’m in a good mood today. Come, Iros, join me at my table.”

The Doctor sat across from Antinous whilst more ghosts crowded around, leering as if they expected a fight to break out.

Up close, Antinous’s eyes were solid yellow. His lips stretched paper-thin over wolfish teeth. At first, it looked as though his dark curly hair was disintegrating, but after a closer look, the Doctor could see it was more of a steady stream of dirt that was trickling from Antinous’s scalp, spilling over his shoulders. Clods of mud filled the old sword gashes in the ghoul’s gray skin. More dirt spilled from the base of the arrow wound in his throat.

The power of Gaea. The Doctor realized. The earth was holding him together.

Antinous slid a golden goblet and a platter of food across the table. “I didn’t expect to see you here, Iros. But I suppose even a beggar can sue for retribution. Drink. Eat.”

Thick red liquid sloshed in the goblet. On the plate sat a steaming brown lump of some sort of meat.

Ripping off a chunk and putting it in his mouth, the Doctor then drowned the foul taste with some of the red liquid, which thankfully tasted like watered-down wine rather than blood or poison.

Not that poison would’ve tasted much better than wine. It was a bloody awful drink.

“So this retribution,” The Doctor said. “Tell me about it. Where do I sign up?”

The ghosts laughed. One pushed his shoulder, and the Doctor was somewhat surprised that he could feel it.

Antinous leaned forwards. “Tell me, Iros, what do you have to offer? We don’t need you to run messages for us like in the old days. Certainly you aren’t a fighter. As I recall, Odysseus crushed your jaw and tossed you into the pigsty.”

Ah, the Doctor remembered who Iros was now. He’d run messages for the suitors in exchange for scraps of food. He’d been something like their pet homeless person. When Odysseus had come home, disguised as a beggar, Iros had thought the new guy was moving in on his territory. The two had begun to argue.

“You made me fight Odysseus.” The Doctor growled. “You bet money on it. Even when he took off his shirt and you saw how muscular he was. You still made me fight him. You didn’t care whether I lived or died!”

Antinous bared his pointed teeth. “Of course I didn’t care. I still don’t! But you’re here, so Gaea must have had a reason to allow you back into the mortal world. Tell me, why are you worthy of a share in our spoils.”

“Spoils?” The Doctor demanded.

Antinous spread his hands. “The entire world, my friend. The first time we met here, we were only after Odysseus’s land, his money, and his wife.”

“Especially his wife!” A bald ghost in ragged clothing elbowed Jason in the ribs. “That Penelope was a hot little honey cake!”

“Eurymachus, you whining coward. You never stood a _chance_ with Penelope. I remember you blubbering and pleading for your life with Odysseus, blaming everything on me!”

“Lot of good it did me.” Eurymachus lifted his tattered shirt, revealing a few centimeter-wide spectral hole in the middle of his chest. “Odysseus shot me in the heart, just because I wanted to marry his wife!”

“At any rate…” Antinous turned to the Doctor. “We have gathered now for a much bigger prize. Once Gaea destroys the gods, we will divide up the remnants of the mortal world!”

“Dibs on London!” Yelled a ghoul at the next table.

“Montreal!” Shouted another.

“Duluth!” yelled a third, which momentarily stopped the conversation as the other ghosts gave him confused looks.

“What about the rest of the guests?” The Doctor asked. “I count two hundred at the least. Half of them are new to me.”

Antinous’s yellow eyes gleamed. “All of them are suitors for Gaea’s favour. All have claims and grievances against the gods or their pet heroes. That scoundrel over there is Hippias, former tyrant of Athens. He got deposed and decided with the Persians to attack his own countrymen. No mortals whatsoever. He’d do anything for power.”

“Thank you!” Called Hippias.

“That rogue with the turkey leg in his mouth,” Antinous continued. “That’s Hasdrubal of Carthage. He has a grudge to settle with Rome.”

“Mhhmm,” said the Carthaginian.

“And Michael Varus over there,” He pointed over towards the sand fountain to where a dark haired boy in the purple shirt and legionnaire armor turned to face them. His outline was blurred, smokey, and indistinct, so the Doctor guessed he was some sort of spirit, but the legion tattoo on his forearm was clear enough: SPQR, the double-faced head of the god Janus, and six score marks for six years of service. On his breastplate hung the badge of praetorship and the emblem of the Fifth Cohort.

“He’s a Roman demigod.” Antinous continued. “Lost his legion’s eagle in…Alaska, was it? Doesn’t matter. Gaea lets him hang around. He insists he has some insight into defeating Camp Jupiter. But you, Iros – you still haven’t answered my question. Why should _you_ be welcome among us?”

“Why should you welcome me?” The Doctor growled, thinking fast, “Because i”m still running messages, you – you stupid wretches!” Yeah, that sounded good. “I’ve just come from the House of Hades to see what you’re up to!”

The last bit was true, and it seemed to give Antinous pause. The ghoul glared at him. “You expect me to believe Gaea sent you – a beggar – to check up on us?”

The Doctor laughed. “I was amongst the last to leave Epirus before the Doors of Death were closed. I saw the chamber where Clytius stood guard beneath a domed ceiling tiled with tombstones. I walked the jewel and bone floors of the Necromanteion!”

This was also true, and around the table, the ghosts shifted and muttered.

“So, Antinous…” The Doctor said confidently. “Maybe _you_ should explain to me why _you’re_ worthy of Gaea’s favour. All I see is a crowd of lazy, dawdling dead folk enjoying themselves and not helping the war effort. I’ll have to tell the Earth Mother about this.”

From the corner of his eye, the Doctor could see Piper sending him a subtle thumbs-up before returning her attention to a glowing purple Greek ghost who was trying to make her sit on his lap.

Antinous wrapped his hand around his steak knife, twirling it between his fingers. “If you come from Gaea, you must know we are here under orders. Porphyrion decreed it.” He ran the knife blade across his palm. Instead of blood, dry dirt spilled from the cut. “You do know Porphyrion…?”

“Of course.” The Doctor said. “Giant king, green skin, white eyes, hair braided with weapons.”

For once, Antinous looked speechless, but his bald ghost friend Eurymachus put an arm around the Doctor’s shoulders.

“Now, now, friend.” Eurymaches smelled of sour wine and burning electrical wires. His ghostly touch made the Doctor shiver. “I’m sure we didn’t mean to question your credentials! It’s just, well, if you’ve spoken with Porphyrion in Athens, you _know_ why we're here. I assure you, we’re doing exactly as he ordered!”

The Doctor maintained his straight face and hide his surprise. Porphyrion was in Athens.

Gaea had promised to pull up the gods by their roots. Chiron had assumed that meant the giants would try to rouse the earth goddess at the original Mount Olympus, but now…

“The Acropolis,” The Doctor murmured. “The most ancient temples to the gods, in the middle of Athens. That’s where Gaea will wake.”

“Of course!” Eurymachus laughed. The wound in his chest made a popping sound. “And to get there, those meddlesome demigods will have to travel by sea, eh? They know it’s too dangerous to fly over land.”

“Which means they’ll have to pass this island,” The Doctor said.

Eurymachus nodded eagerly. He removed his arm from the Doctor’s shoulders and dipped his finger in his wine glass. “At that point, they’ll have to make a choice, eh?”

On the tabletop, he traced a coastline, red wine glowing unnaturally against the wood. He drew Greece like a misshapen hourglass – a large dangly blob for the northern mainland, then another blob below it, almost as large – the Peloponnese. Cutting between them was a narrow line of sea – the Straits of Corinth.

The Doctor didn’t need to see the picture. He’d already memorized that exact map on the _Argo II_.

“The most direct route,” Eurymachus said, “Would be due east from here, across the Straits of Corinth. But if they try to go that way –”

“Enough,” Antinous snapped. “You have a loose tongue, Eurymachus.”

The ghost looked offended. “I wasn’t going to tell him everything! Just about the Cyclopes armies massed on either shore. And the raging storm spirits in the air. And those vicious sea monsters Keto sent to infest the waters. And of course if the ship got as far as Delphi –”

“Idiot!” Antinous lunged across the table and grabbed the ghost’s wrist. A thin crust of dirt spread from the ghoul’s hand, straight up Eurymachus’s spectral arm.

“No!” Eurymachus yelped. “Please! I – I only meant –”

The ghost screamed as the dirt covered his body like a shell, then cracked apart, leaving nothing but a pile of dust. Eurymachus was gone.

Antinous sat back down and brushed off his hands. The other suitors at the table watched him in wary silence.

“Apologies, Iros.” The ghoul smiled coldly. “All you need to know – the ways to Athens are well guarded, just as we promised. The demigods would either have to risk the straits, which are impossible, or sail around the entire Peloponnese, which is hardly much safer. In any event, it’s unlikely they will survive long enough to _make_ the choice. Once they reach Ithaca, we will know. We will stop them here, and Gaea will see how valuable we are. You can take that message back to Athens.”

The Doctor wanted more information. He wanted to know _exactly_ what they’d be up against. But to dig would risk more than he was willing at the moment. He, Annabeth, and Piper had to get out whilst they still had the chance.

He stood. “Very well. I shall report to Gaea as such. For your sake, Aninous, I hope you are right. These demigods are resourceful. They closed the Doors of Death. If they were to sneak past you, perhaps even getting help from Delphi…”

Antinous chuckled. “No risk of that. Delphi is no longer in Apollo’s control.”

“Good, good.” The Doctor said. “And if the demigods sail the long way around the Peloponnese?”

“You worry too much. That journey is _never_ safe for demigods, and it’s much too far. Besides, Victory runs rampant in Olympia. As long as that’s the case, there is no way the demigods can win this war.”

The Doctor nodded. “I shall report as much.”

Over at the fountain, Michael Varus called, “Wait.”

He walked over, surrounded in a hazy white aura, his deep-set eyes like sinkholes. At his side hung an Imperial gold gladius.

“You must stay,” Michael insisted.

Antinous shot the ghost an irritated look. “What’s the problem, legionnaire? If Iros wants to leave, let him.”

Across the courtyard, Annabeth shot the Doctor a worried glance.

Vestus rested his hand on the pommel of his sword. Despite the heat, his breastplate was glazed with ice. “I lost my cohort _twice_ in Alaska – once in life, once in death to a _Graecus_ named Percy Jackson. Still I have come here to answer Gaea’s call. Do you know why?”

“Tell me.”

“This is a place of longing,” Michael said. “All of us are drawn here, sustained not only by Gaea’s power, but also by our strongest desires. Eurymachus’s greed. Antinous’s cruelty.”

“You flatter me,” The ghoul muttered.

“Hasdrubal’s hatred,” Michael continued. “Hippia’s bitterness. My ambition. And you, _Iros_. What has drawn you here? What does a beggar most desire? Perhaps a home?”

The Doctor paused for a long moment. “I want a place to belong.” He said. “A place I am not just a traveler. Call it a home, call it a family, call it whatever you please. But that is what I desire.”

“My father is Janus, you know.” Michael said. “The god of two faces. I am used to seeing through masks and deceptions. Do you know why we are so sure the demigods will not pass our island undetected?”

This was _not_ good.

He turned Antinous. “Are you in charge here or not?” He demanded. “Let me go on my way.”

The ghoul took a deep breath. The arrow rattled in his throat. “Ah, but this might be entertaining. Go on, Varus.”

The dead praetor raised his sword. “Our desires reveal us. They show us for who we really are. Someone has come for you, Doctor.”

Behind Michael, the crowd parted. The shimmering ghost of an old woman drifted forwards. She was much older than she’d been when the Doctor had abandoned her all those years ago, but there was no mistaking those eyes. The Doctor could feel his bones turn to lead.

“Grandfather” said Susan’s ghost. “You’ve finally come home.”


	2. Stab Wounds and Sacred Beds

The Doctor stared. Despite her age, she still looked youthful – Lovely brown hair, still short and choppy. She was wearing navy blue trousers that ended just above the ankles and a striped shirt that was just a bit too long with elbow-length sleeves. Her smile was wispy and far away, just as it always had been, but she just looked so…so scared. She reached out her hands, drawing him to her.

“S-Susan?” The Doctor called. As he stepped towards her, he could feel the Mist magic seeping off him, his skin smoothing and his back straightening. He dropped the walking stick and felt his trenchcoat wrapping back around him.

“Grandfather,” Susan called distantly, her arms out for a hug. “Please, come back to me.”

“Susan!” The Doctor stepped towards her, moving faster and faster, breaking out into a run.

_ “Doctor, stop!” _

Despite the fact that he was so close to his granddaughter, he felt his feet stop.

It was Piper, she was staring at her, just as surprised as the Doctor was.

“It’s not real,” Piper insisted. “She’s not real.”

“Of course she is real.” Michael Varus’s voice sounded distant. “Did you think Gaea would let such an important spirit languish in the Underworld? A Lord of Time?”

“Grandfather,” Susan called, her voice sad and despite. “Please, don’t leave me. Not again.”

“She has to be real.” The Doctor murmured. “There’s no way anyone else would know…”

“Doctor, look at me!” Piper called again, her voice not as effective this time, but still cutting through the fog of the rest of the world. “She’s not your…granddaughter or whatever. Her voice is working some kind of magic on you – like charmspeak, but more dangerous. Can’t you sense it?”

“She’s right.” Annabeth climbed onto the nearest table. She kicked aside a platter, startling a dozen suitors. “Doctor, that’s not your granddaughter. How could it be? Your people are from a different planet. Gallifrey couldn’t –”

“But I died here,” Susan said.  _ “You  _ left me to die.”

“I didn’t mean to – You didn’t need me – David –”

“David was human,” Susan said. “What did you think would happen?”

“I –” He choked. He could feel arms grabbing him, trying to pull him back. He fought them away, “Don’t touch me.  _ Don’t touch me!” _

He pushed Annabeth to the ground.

“Please don’t leave me again.” Susan pleaded. “Grandfather, I need you.”

“Susan!”

The Doctor was centimeters away now.

She smiled. “I missed you.”

The Doctor met her eyes. This had been Gaea’s mistake. The smile had been too generic. Susan’s smile had always been a little quirked, just a touch uneven, and her eyes…These eyes were cold and empty.

“You’re not real.” The Doctor realized.

Susan laughed mechanically. “Don’t be silly, grandfather. Of course I’m real.”

“No, you’re not.” He could feel the energy drain from his body, his knees dropping to the ground, hands clutching his head. “You’re not real! You’re not real!”

“Doctor?” Annabeth called. He could finally hear her.

“We have to get out of here!” The Doctor shouted back.

Not wasting another second, Piper yelled at the crowd. “Every man in this palace is your enemy. Each one will stab you in the back at the first chance!”

Over the past few weeks, Piper’s charmspeak had become truly powerful. She spoke the truth, and the crowd believed her. They looked sideways at one another, hands clenching the hilts of their swords.

“Grandfather, please, you can’t abandon me again!” The ghost of not-Susan cried. “The quest is hopeless. You’ll never make it to Athens! And even if you did, the Athena Parthenos…”

“What?” The Doctor stared at her.

“Gaea knows,” Not-Susan cried. “You new companions, Reyna, Nico, and even the satyr, they will never reach New York alive!”

“Tell me what you mean!” His hearts nearly broke, yelling at his granddaughter like this, even if he knew it wasn’t his granddaughter.

“Gaea’s sent him to get them. She’s sent the hunter who never rests. But you don’t have to die, Grandfather! Please, you  _ must  _ stay with me!”

_ The hunter who never rests. _

Whoever that was, it wasn’t good. He needed to warn Nico.

His gaze returned to Not-Susan. That was his mistake. Had he simply left, he would have not looked back. 

“Grandfather…” Her voice was less a plea and more a hopeless goodbye.

It broke him.

“Why are you here?” He begged. “This is a place of desire. What are you here for?”

“My family.” She said quietly.. “I wanted my family, just to see you again. And now I have you! Is that not what you desire as well?” She asked. “You want a family.”

She was right. He wanted nothing more as a family. He’d been wrong before: He didn’t want a place to belong, he wanted a family to belong with. And he had found them.

“I have a family.” He said firmly, drawing himself back to his feet. “And Gaea, she’s reduced your essence to your pain and your fear. And that was her big mistake. Because I know –” He choked. “You are more than that. You were always more than that. That’s why I left you, Susan,” He could feel the tears running messily down his face, “Because you had your family, and I knew – I knew you didn’t need me anymore. I knew if I kept holding on, you would end up like me: Broken and alone.”

“Grandfather?” The tone changed, as if a part of her had been released. Like something had torn the falcified voice out of her body. And her eyes. Those beautiful hazel eyes glowed with life, with joy and passion, with wonder and love…A warm smile appeared on his granddaughter’s face.

He placed a hand on her beautiful cheek. “Please forgive me, Susan.”

She laughed warmly. “Oh, Grandfather, there’s nothing to forgive you for.”

Susan’s ghost disappeared, leaving the Doctor to collapse on the ground in sorrow.

Antinous tossed aside his goblet, studying the Doctor with a look of mild irritation. “Well, then,” He said. “I suppose we’ll just kill you.”

The enemies closed in.

The fight was going brilliantly until he got stabbed.

The Doctor had somehow managed to stumble back to his feet. He vaulted onto a table and jumped right over Antinous’s head, landing on his feet, if unevenly. He pulled out his Sonic, holding it out threateningly.

Suddenly, the blade of a sword bloomed out of his chest and he crumbled to dirt.

Behind him, stood Annabeth. “I know you’re off your game right now,” She grumbled, wiping dirt off herself, “But you really need to be more helpful.”

“I had a plan!” The Doctor insisted, his face sliding back into that familiar joyful mask he knew so well.

“Right, of course you did.” Annabeth rolled her eyes, dispatching another undead enemy.

The Doctor ducked out of the way just in time as an arrow whistled past his face.

Over by the sand fountain, Piper had also drawn her sword – the jagged bronze blade she’d taken from the Boread, Zethes. She stabbed and parried with her right hand, occasionally shooting tomatoes from the cornucopia in her left, all whilst shouting, “Save yourselves! I’m too dangerous!”

That must have been exactly what they wanted to hear, as her opponents kept running away, only to freeze in confusion a few meters downhill, then charge back into the fight.

Hippias lunged at Piper, his dagger raised, but Piper blasted him point-blank in the chest with a lovely pot roast. He tumbled backwards into the fountain and screamed as he disintegrated.

It wasn’t long before no more enemies faced them. The remaining ghosts had begun to disappear on their own. Annabeth cut down Hasdrubal the Carthaginian, and the Doctor made the mistake of dropping his guard and taking a deep breath to dispel the memories trying to infect his mind.

Pain flared in his lower back, sharp and cold.

Next to his ear, Michael Varus snarled, “Gaea will reward me for killing you and your ‘family.’”

The tip of the golden sword jutted through the front of his shirt, just below his rib cage.

The Doctor spun around, pulling the sword out slowly. Michael stared, shock and terror written across his face.

“Then maybe she’s not quite as clever as she seems.” He growled. “Because no one threatens my family.”

“I – I –” The boy seemed unable to get his words out.

“Run.” The Doctor ordered.

“What?”

“Don’t make me change my mind.”

Michael ran.

He ran right at Piper, knife already out of its sheath and extended in the air.

All it took was one throw, and the boy exploded into dirt, his own sword left behind in the earth.

And just like that, the adrenaline was gone.

The Doctor stumbled for a second, before his knees hit the ground.

“Doctor!” Annabeth was suddenly at his side, lowering him onto the ground. She had a nasty cut on the side of her neck.

“Oh, gods!” She stared at the wound in the Doctor’s gut. “Oh, gods, Doctor!”

“What happened to your neck?” The Doctor mumbled, lifting his much-too heavy arm and trying to move it towards her wound.

“It’s fine, I’m fine.” Annabeth laughed despite herself.

“Ambrosia?” Piper suggested.

“No, he won’t eat Ambrosia.” Annabeth said. “We – we need to apply pressure to the wound.”

Piper nodded and used her dagger to cut fabric from the bottom of her dress. She ripped the cloth into a bandage.

“Annabeth,” He choked, blood speckling his lips, “Annabeth, I told you about regeneration…If I can’t –”

“You’re not going to die.” Annabeth snapped.

She began wrapping the wounds on his back and stomach. Black smoke was billowing around it. He remembered something about Imperial gold and how it was deadly to demigods and monsters. He was neither, but perhaps if the energy signatures were similar enough…If he was close enough to a monster for it to affect him too…

“Annabeth, if I regenerate –”

“It won’t come to that, or so help me, Zeus, I’ll hit you so hard you’ll have to do it twice.”

The Doctor smiled painfully. “I missed you.”

“What?”

“When you and Percy were in Tartarus. Nearly threw myself in there myself after it happened.”

“Doctor…”

“Thanks for everything..”

“No, Doctor, you’re saying goodbye!” Annabeth insisted.

“We’ve got to get him back to the ship.” Piper said.

“Nah, I’m fine.” The Doctor tried.

“If you weren’t dying, I would slap you.” Piper grumbled.

“That makes two of us.” Annabeth agreed.

“Why is it always the women?” The Doctor mumbled.

He tried to sit up, but his head swam, the world spun, and before he knew it, Annabeth was helping to ease him back to the ground.

“We need to contact the  _ Argo II,  _ get help.” Piper said.

Annabeth scanned the ruins. The magic veneer had vaded, leaving only broken walls and excavation pits. “We could use the emergency flares, but –”

“Let’s not blow up the entire hill.” The Doctor said. “If you help me, I can walk.”

“Absolutely not.” Piper and Annabeth both objected.

“Annabeth, do you know Morse code?” Piper asked.

The Doctor perked up. “I know –"

“Shut up!” Both girls snapped.

“Rude.”

“Of course I do.” Annabeth said.

“So does Leo.” Piper handed her a mirror. “He’ll be watching from the ship. Go to the ridge –”

“Piper you’re bloody brilliant.” The Doctor choked out.

“When will you learn to shut your mouth?” Piper chided, though there was no malice in her words.

Piper switched spots with Annabeth as the daughter of Athena ran to the edge of the ruins.

“So, a granddaughter.” Piper said.

“Huh?”

“That woman, Susan, she called you ‘Grandfather.’”

“Y-yeah. She did.” The Doctor was trembling. He wasn’t quite sure if it was because of the blood loss.

“I forget your alien sometimes.” Piper laughed, “That reminded me. It’s just…stuff like this…” She glanced down at the blood that was soaking through the cloth and onto her fingers.

“Yeah, I bleed just like everyone else, huh?”

“Yeah.” She tried to laugh, but it was humorless and terrified.

“We need to find a way to contact Nico, Reyna, and Coach Hedge.” The Doctor said. “We need to warn them about the hunter.”

“We’ll take care of it when we get back to the ship,” Piper promised. “You’ve really got to relax. Besides,” She smiled, “Those three are a tough group. They’ll be fine.”

“Yeah.” The Doctor said, “They’re brilliant, aren’t they?” He frowned. “‘M worried about Nico.”

“Nico’ll be fine.” Piper promised. “Once the war is over…everything will work out for him. You’re doing everything you can, being a good friend to him.”

“‘S more than a friend.” The Doctor murmured. “He’s like a son to me.”

His body spasmed, pain running through him.

“Doctor, you’ve got to concentrate on my voice.” Piper said, “Think about something good. Think about – I don’t know,” She looked around, lost.

“Last winter at the campfire.”

Piper grinned. “The s’mores fight.”

“I won.”

“You did  _ not _ .”

“I would’ve won had you lot not cheated.”

“It wasn’t cheating!” Piper laughed.

“You teamed up on me!” He cried. “With the entire camp!”

“What’s that say about you, then?” Piper asked. “That everyone was willing to do that?”

“Says to me that you lot are sore losers.”

Pain wracked his body, causing him to groan in pain.

Annabeth came limping back from the edge of the hill.

“You ‘right?” He choked.

Annabeth glanced down at her ankle. “It’s fine. Just the old break from the Roman caverns. Sometimes when I’m stressed…That’s not important. I signaled Loe. Frank’s going to change form, fly up here, and carry you back to the ship. I need to make a litter to keep you stable.”

Before the Doctor could protest, Annabeth shot him a threatening look and set to work.

She collected scraps left behind by the suitors – a leather belt, a torn tunic, sandal straps, a red blanket, and a couple of broken spear shafts. Her hands flew across the materials – ripping, weaving, tying, braiding.

“Where’d you learn to do that?” The Doctor asked.

“On my quest under Rome.” Annabeth said, keeping her eyes on her work. “I’d never had a reason to try weaving before, but it’s handy for certain things, like getting away from spiders…”

She tied off one last bit of leather cord and revealed a stretcher large enough for the Doctor, with spear shafts as carrying handles and safety straps across the middle.

Piper whistled appreciatively. “The next time I need a dress altered, I’m coming to you.”

“Shut up, McLean,” Annabeth said, but her eyes glinted with satisfaction. “Now, let’s get him secured –”

“Wait,” The Doctor said.

Something wasn’t quite right. Something felt…Incomplete. Through the fog in his brain, he recalled the story of Penelope. She’d waited for Odysseus for twenty years, and when he came back, she knew it was him because…

“The bed.” He said. “There was a marriage bed in the palace.”

Piper was looking a little concerned. “Doctor, I think you’ve lost quite a bit of blood.

“No, no, no.” He pounded his head with his hands. “Listen, the bed was sacred. If there was any place you could talk to Hera…”

“Hera!” Piper called.

When nothing happened, she turned back to the Doctor. “Right, Hera’s not here. Now we’ve  _ got  _ to get you back to the  _ Argo II  _ –”

About twenty meters away, the stone floor cracked. Branches muscled through the earth, growing in fast motion until a full-sized olive tree shaded the courtyard. Under a canopy of gray-green leaves stood a dark-haired woman in a white dress, a leopard-skin cape draped over her shoulders. Her staff was topped with a white lotus flower. Her expression was cold and regal.

“My heroes,” said the goddess.

“Hera.” Piper said.

“Actually, I think this one is Juno.” The Doctor corrected.

“Whatever,” Annabeth grumbled. “What are you doing here, Your Bovine Majesty?”

Juno’s dark eyes glittered dangerously. “Annabeth Chase. As charming as ever.”

“Yeah, well,” Annabeth said, “I just got back from  _ Tartarus, _ so my manners are a little rusty, especially toward goddesses who wiped my boyfriend’s memory, made him disappear for months –”

“She wiped my memories too,” The Doctor reminded her.

“Honestly, child.” Juno sighed. “Are we going to rehash this again?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be suffering from split personality disorder?” Annabeth asked.

“Actually, the proper term is Dissociative Identity Disorder.” The Doctor corrected. “Since rather than the growth of separate personalities, it’s characterized more by splintering and dividing of an identity –”

He caught Annabeth’s look.

“Right. Sorry.” He looked up at the goddess. “Juno, we need your help. We –” He had made another attempt to sit up. As it turned out, this was a terrible idea.

Annabeth and Piper were the only reason he didn’t topple right off the stretcher.

“First thing’s first,” Annabeth said. “The Doctor’s hurt. You need to heal him!”

The goddess knit her eyebrows. Her form shimmered unsteadily.

“The Doctor is…beyond the gods.” Juno admitted. “I fear if I tried I’d only make things worse. But I can tell you this: This wound touches your soul as well as the body. If you are to fight it, it must be with more than your body.”

“Brilliant.” The Doctor grumbled. “Helpful.”

“My heroes, our time together is short,” Juno said. “I am grateful that you called upon me. I have spent many weeks in a state of pain and confusion…My Greek and Roman natures warring against each other. Worse, I’ve been forced to hide from Jupiter, who searches for me in his misguided wrath, believing that  _ I  _ caused this war with Gaea.

“Gee,” Annabeth said, “Why would he think that?”

Juno flashed her an irritated look. “Fortunately, this place is sacred to me. By clearing away those ghosts, you have purified it and given me a moment of clarity. I will be able to speak with you – if only briefly.”

“Why is it sacred…?” Piper’s eyes widened. “Oh. The marriage bed!”

“Oh, the one I already told you about? Yes, Doctor, the one you so graciously informed me of, thank you.” The Doctor grumbled.

“Marriage bed?” Annabeth asked.

“It’s the bed of Penelope and Odysseus,” The Doctor explained. “One of its bedposts was a living olive tree, so it couldn’t ever be moved.”

“Indeed.” Juno ran her hand along the olive tree’s trunk. “An immovable marriage bed. Such a beautiful symbol! Like Penelope, the most faithful wife, standing her ground, fending off a hundred arrogant suitors for years because she knew her husband would return. Odysseus and Penelope – the epitome of a perfect marriage!”

“Can you advise us, at least?” Piper asked. “Tell us what to do?”

“Sail around the Peloponnese,” said the goddess. “As you suspect, that is the only possible route. On your way, seek out the goddess of victory in Olympia. She is out of control. Unless you can subdue her, the rift between Greek and Roman can never be healed.”

“Nike?” The Doctor asked. “How’s she out of control?”

Thunder boomed overhead, shaking the hill.

“Explaining would take too long,” Juno said. “I must flee before Jupiter finds me. Once I leave, I will not be able to help you again.”

Before the Doctor could bit back a retort, Piper asked, “What else should we know?”

“As you heard, the giants have gathered in Athens. Few gods will be able to help you on your journey, but I am not the only Olympina who is out of favour with Jupiter. The twins have also incurred his wrath.”

“Artemis and Apollo?” The Doctor frowned. “Why?”

Juno’s image began to fade. “If you reach the island of Delos, they might be prepared to help you. They are desperate enough to try anything to make amends. Go now. Perhaps we will meet again in Athens, if you succeed. If you do not…”

The goddess disappeared. Or perhaps the Doctor’s eyesight bailed on him. Pain rolled through him. He tried to warn Annabeth with: “Healing coma…” Before his head lolled back and the last thing he saw was a giant eagle circling high above them. The world went black.


	3. Welcome to Olympia

“You never told me about Susan.” Annabeth said.

She had found the Doctor by the railing on the deck. Usually he would be resting his hands on the rail, but now he was relying on it to hold up most of his weight.

He would still be in his healing coma, but that had been short-lived since it easily healed the physical wound itself. It was the part about the ‘soul’ that wasn’t quite healed yet. Not that the wound still didn’t hurt. Apparently his soul was inside his stomach.

“There’s a lot I’ve never told you about.” He replied.

“She called you Grandfather.”

“Yes, she did.”

Annabeth sighed. “I knew you were old and had a family – had children, but…” She shook her head. “Seeing a face makes it a bit more real.”

“Yeah.”

There was a long silence. He and Annabeth stared off into the water.

“She died on Earth, then?”

“Yeah.”

“I thought your whole family died on…Y’know…On Gallifrey.”

“When I ran away,” The Doctor said quietly, “I didn’t run away on my own. I took Susan with me.” He took a breath. “We traveled together for a while, then she wanted to go to school – an Earth school. So I took her – if reluctantly.”

“And you left her there?”

“Of course not.” The Doctor scoffed. “But a couple of her teachers, Ian and Barbra, they were…suspicious of her home life. They followed her back to the TARDIS. I tried to bluff my way out but, well, Susan called out to them, just to see why they were there, and they forced their way into the TARDIS.”

He glanced at Annabeth, who seemed to be drinking in the story.

“I couldn’t really leave them, could I? If I let them go, we’d have to leave. I couldn’t risk anyone knowing about us –”

Annabeth raised an eyebrow. “That didn’t turn out as well as you wanted, huh?”

“I was young and foolish.” The Doctor sighed. “So I took them with me to travel. And we did for a bit. But she met this young man, David Campbell.” He shook his head. “He loved her, Annabeth. And I couldn’t let…I couldn’t let her turn out like me.”

“So you left her.” Annabeth realized. “So they could be together.”

“It's a little more convoluted than that, but yes.” He murmured. “Still don’t know if it was the right choice.”

“Well, she seems to have forgiven you.”

“She does, doesn’t she?” He smiled sadly. “Course she does. She’d forgive me for anything…" There was a long, sorrowful pause. "I wonder if she’d forgive me for Gallifrey?”

“She didn’t…she didn’t know about the war?”

“Course she knew about the war.” The Doctor scoffed. “The Time Lords tried to recruit her.”

“But she didn’t know how it ended.”

“No,” The Doctor murmured. “She didn’t.”

There was another long silence.

“You’re not broken, you know. And you’re certainly not alone.”

“Hmm?”

“You told Susan that you were broken and alone. You’re not.”

“It’s all right, Annabeth. I have been for a long time.”

“But you’re not.” Annabeth insisted. “Look at the people around you!”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Said you were my family, didn’t I?”

“But did you mean it?” She asked. “Really. Like, what’ll you do after the war’s over? Will you just get up and leave?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t have to leave, you know. You could stay here on Earth.”

He gazed up at the starry sky. “Maybe.”

Annabeth laughed. “Don’t lie to me. I can see the longing written all over you.”

The Doctor smiled sadly. “Never was good at the long road, me.”

“Will you ever visit?”

“Course I will.” He laughed, but Annabeth clearly wasn’t buying it.

She sighed and returned her gaze to the water.

“Just don’t travel alone.” She finally said.

He stared back into the sky. “With any luck I won’t have to.”

Leo was the last to walk into the dining hall. For a minute, the Doctor could see him pause at the door frame.

Percy was eating a massive stack of blue pancakes whilst Annabeth chided him for pouring on too much syrup.

“You’re drowning them!” She complained.

“Hey, I’m a Poseidon kid,” He said. “I can’t drown. And neither can my pancakes.”

To their left, Frank and Hazel used their cereal bowls to flatten out a map of Greece. They looked over it, their heads close together. Every once in a while, Frank’s hand would cover Hazel’s, and Hazel didn’t even look flustered when it happened.

At the head of the table, Jason sat, Piper in the seat next to him, and the Doctor next to her. Piper was trying to roll up the Doctor’s bandages to ‘make sure he changed them right.’ Utter rubbish. Jason was watching on, amused.

“You can’t properly change your own bandages with a wound like that!”

“I’m alien! You can’t tell me what I can and cannot do!”

“Do you have stretchy arms, Mr. Fantastic?”

“No, but –”

“Then I won’t have it!”

The Doctor could see Leo stare around in amusement. “What’s up guys?” He strolled in properly. “Aw, _yes_ , brownies!”

He grabbed the last one – from the special sea salt recipe they’d picked up from Aphros. The Doctor had offered to make brownies out of a variety of alien recipes he’d picked up over the years, but the rest of the crew had politely – and not so politely in Annabeth’s case – declined.

The intercom crackled. The sound of a high-pitched Coach Hedge yeled over the speakers, “PUT SOME CLOTHES ON!”

Yes, Leo had made the executive decision – using the Doctor’s Sonic, might he add – to laminate Buford’s tabletop with a magic scroll that would project a tiny holographic simulation of Coach Hedge. Mini-Hedge would stomp around on Buford’s top, randomly saying things like, “CUT THAT OUT!” and “I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!”

Today, it seemed that Buford was manning the helm.

Everyone jumped. Hazel ended up a meter and a half away from Frank. Percy spilled syrup in his orange juice, Frank turned into a bulldog, but fortunately for the Doctor – who didn’t scare easy, he was able to wriggle out of Piper’s grip, before letting out a gasp of pain and nearly falling off his chair.

Piper helped the Doctor up, before glaring at Leo. “I thought you were getting rid of that stupid hologram.”

“Hey, Buford’s just saying good morning. He loves his hologram! Besides, we all miss the coach. And Frank makes a cute bulldog.”

Frank morphed back, the frown on his face still resembling that of the bulldog.

“Just sit down, Leo.” He grumbled. “We’ve got stuff to talk about.”

Leo sat himself between Jason and Hazel, which was a good plan since that was the place he was least likely to get slapped. Had Piper not interfered, that’s where the Doctor would’ve sat.

“Right,” The Doctor said once everyone was seated. “We’ll stay in the air and drop the anchor as close as we can to Olympia. It’s about ten kilometers inland –”

“Six miles, give or take.” Leo translated to the others.

“I knew what ten kilometers meant…” Frank grumbled.

“And according to Juno, we’ve got to find the goddess of Victory – Nike – and…subdue her.”

Uncomfortable silence around the table.

With the new curtains covering the holographic walls, the dining hall was darker and gloomier than it should’ve been. Ever since the Kerkopes, the real-time video feed from Camp Half-Blood often fuzzed out, changing into playback of extreme dwarf close-ups – red whiskers, nostrils, and poor dental work. It wasn’t helpful when they were trying to have conversations on the fate of the world.

Percy sipped his syrup-flavoured juice. He seemed to find it okay. “I’m cool with fighting the occasional goddess, but isn’t Nike one of the _good_ ones? I mean, personally, I _like_ victory. I can’t get enough of it.”

Annabeth drummed her fingers on the table. “It does seem strange. I understand why Nike would be in Olympia – home of the Olympics and all that. The contestants sacrificed to her. Greeks and Romans worshipped her there for, like, twelve hundred years, right?”

“Almost ‘til the end of the Roman Empire.” The Doctor confirmed.

“Romans called her _Victoria,_ ” Jason said, “But same difference. Everyone loved her. Who doesn’t like to win? Not sure why we would have to subdue her.”

The Doctor frowned. A wisp of steam curled from the wound under his shirt. “Antionius – the ghoul – he said _Victory runs rampant in Olympia._ ”

“And Juno warned us we could never heal the rift between the Greeks and Romans unless we defeated victory.” Annabeth nodded.

“But how do we defeat victory?” Piper wondered. “Sounds like one of those impossible riddles.”

“I dunno about her being so popular and great,” Leo said, “Don’t you guys remember what her kids are like at Camp Half-Blood?”

Hazel and Frank had never been to Camp Half-Blood, but the rest of the room nodded gravely.

“He’s got a point,” Percy said. “Those kids in Cabin Seventeen – they’re _super-_ competitive. When it comes to capture the flag, they’re almost worse than the Ares kids. Uh, no offense, Frank.”

Frank shrugged. “You’re saying Nike has a dark side?”

“Everyone’s got a dark side.” The Doctor murmured. “It just takes the right push…”

“Well, her _kids_ sure have a dark side.” Annabeth said, trying to ignore the Doctor’s previous comment. “They never turn down a challenge. They _have_ to be number one at everything. If their mom is that intense…”

“Whoah.” Piper put her hands on the table like the ship was rocking. “Guys, all the gods are split between their Greek and Roman aspects, right? If Nike’s that way, and she’s the goddess of _victory_ –”

“Each side of her will want to win.” The Doctor realized. “They both want to declare themselves the victor.”

Hazel nudged her cereal bowl across the map of Greece. “But we don’t _want_ one side or the other to win. We’ve got to get the Greeks and Romans on the same team.”

“Maybe that’s the problem,” Jason said. “If the goddess of victory is running rampant, torn between Greek and Roman, she might make it impossible to bring the two camps together.”

“How?” Leo asked. “Start a flame war on Twitter?”

Percy stabbed at his pancakes. “Maybe she’s like Ares. That guy can spark a fight just by walking into a crowded room. If Nike radiates competitive vibes or something, she could aggravate the whole Greek-Roman rivalry big-time.”

“This is a part of Gaea’s plan,” The Doctor murmured. “She’s trying to keep the camps divided, to keep the gods divided. We can’t let Nike play them against one another.”

“We should send a landing party of four.” Jason suggested. “Two Greeks, two Romans. The balance might help keep _her_ balanced.”

“I should go too.” The Doctor said.

“Doctor, there’s no way you can go.” Piper insisted. “You’re still injured.”

“And I will be for a while.” The Doctor grumbled. He was not particularly happy about this whole ‘soul injury’ thing. He felt so fragile…So human. “But I’m a third party. I might be able to cut through as a voice of reason.”

No one looked particularly happy about the idea.

“I’m going, whether you like it or not.” The Doctor said. “You can come with me or not.”

Annabeth sighed. “You’re an idiot, but I’m not letting you go alone.”

“Who should go, then?” Piper asked.

“Jason and Percy shouldn’t go together,” Annabeth said. “Jupiter and Poseidon – bad combination. Nike could start you two fighting easily.”

Percy gave her a sideways smile. “Yeah, we can’t have another incident like in Kansas. I might kill my bro Jason.”

“Or I might kill my bro Percy,” Jason said amiably.

“Which proves my point,” Annabeth said. “We also shouldn’t send Frank and me together. Mars and Athena – that would be just as bad.”

“Okay,” Leo broke in. “So Percy and me for the Greeks. Frank and Hazel for the Romans. Is that the ultimate non-competitive dream team or what?”

Annabeth and Frank exchanged a look.

“It could work,” Frank decided. “I mean, _no_ combination is going to be perfect, but Poseidon, Hephaestus, Pluto, Mars…I don’t see any huge antagonism there.”

Hazel traced her finger along the map of Greece. “I still wish we could’ve gone through the Gulf of Corinth. I was hoping we could visit Delphi, maybe get some advice. Plus it’s such a long way around Peloponnese.”

“Yeah.” Leo said. “It’s July twenty second already. Counting today, only ten days until —”

“I know,” Jason said. “But Juno was clear. The shorter way would have been suicide.”

“And as for Delphi…” Piper leaned towards the map. “What’s going on there? If Apollo doesn’t have his Oracle anymore…”

Percy grunted. “Probably something to do with that creep Octavian. Maybe he was _so_ bad at telling the future, he broke Apollo’s powers.”

Jason managed a smile. “Hopefully we can find Apollo and Artemis. Then you can ask yourself. Juno said the twins might be willing to help us.”

“A lot of unanswered questions.” Frank muttered. “A lot of miles to cover before we get to Athens.”

“First things first,” Annabeth said. “You guys have to find Nike and figure out how to subdue her…whatever Juno meant by that. I still don’t understand how you defeat a goddess who controls victory. Seems impossible.”

“Brilliant,” The Doctor grinned. “Impossible’s my area of expertise.”

The Doctor knew he would’ve been better used searching through the ruins with Frank and Hazel, but he couldn’t bring himself to miss the chance to keep an eye on Percy. Not that he needed to be, or anything. Just…ever since Tartarus…He wanted to keep him close.

He, the Doctor, and Leo had gone searching through the museum. They now sat atop a bridge that spanned the Kladeos River, their feet dangling over the water as they waited for Frank and Hazel to finish.

To their left, the Olympic valley shimmered in the afternoon heat. To their right, the visitor’s parking bay was crammed with tour buses.

Leo skipped a stone across the river. He kept looking at the Doctor like he wanted to talk to him about something, but wasn’t quite yet willing.

“Guys!”

Frank stood at the far end of the parking bay, waving them over. Next to him, Hazel sat astride Arion, who had appeared unannounced as soon as they’d landed.

They made their way over and Frank gave his report.

“This place is huge,” He said. “The ruins stretch from the river to the base of that mountain over there, about half a kilometer.”

“How far is that in regular measurements?” Percy asked.

Frank rolled his eyes. “That _is_ a regular measurement in Canada and the _rest_ of the world – And outer space, if the Doctor’s anything to go by –”

“Actually, my species used different units of measurements. It’s just because this regeneration is English – well, now that I think of it, all my regenerations have been English…”

“Yeah,” Frank said, still sounding confused, “Anyway, only you Americans use –”

“Can someone please just tell me how far it is?” Percy pleaded.

“Point three one miles.” The Doctor translated.

“It’s about five or six football fields.” Hazel nodded.

Percy spread his hands at Hazel. “That’s all you need to say.”

“Anyway,” Frank continued, sounding mildly irritated now. “From overhead, I didn’t see anything suspicious.”

“Neither did I,” Hazel said. “Arion took me on a complete loop around the perimeter. A lot of tourists, but no crazy goddesses.”

The stallion nickered and tossed his head, letting fly some truly foul words.

“Man, your horse can cuss.” Percy shook his head.

“Doesn’t seem all that fond of Olympia.” The Doctor agreed.

“So we blunder around together,” Leo suggested. “And let trouble find us. It’s always worked before.”

“Sounds brilliant.” The Doctor grinned, jumping up, and nearly doubling over from the pain.

“I still think it was a horrible idea bringing you along.” Frank murmured.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” The Doctor stuck his tongue at the boy childishly.

“He’s right,” Hazel said, “You should be resting –”

“I already rested!” The Doctor protested. “It’s as healed as it’s going to get right now. I can’t just sit on the ship forever.”

“Doesn’t mean it’s not a bad idea.” Frank grumbled.

“It’s a brilliant idea.” The Doctor retorted as they began to make their way towards the ruins. “Now, did I ever tell you guys about that time I carried the Olympic torch?”

They poked around for a while, avoiding tour groups and ducking from one patch of shade to the next. Frank found a tourist pamphlet and gave them a running commentary on what was what.

“This is the Propylon.” He waved towards a stone path lined with crumbling columns.

“One of the main gates to the Olympic valley,” The Doctor piped up. “It was built as part of Pericles’ great rebuilding programme in 436…” He hesitated, licked the stone, then shook his head. “437 BCE.”

“Ew.” Leo said, then shrugged. “Looks like rubble to me.”

“Well, over there,” Frank pointed to a square fountain, “Is the Temple of Hera, it’s one of the oldest structures here and –”

“It was actually originally built out of wood,” The Doctor said, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. “But then later replaced by stone. It used to be a temple for Zeus, but he had a new one constructed for him, and it was dedicated to Hera.”

“More rubble. Wild.” Leo shook his head.

“And that round bandstand-looking thing –” Frank tried to go on, “That’s the –”

“Ooh! The Philipeon!” The Doctor grinned, “Dedicated to Philip of Macedonia! It –”

Frank groaned in frustration.

“What? I thought you were interested in this stuff?” The Doctor asked innocently.

Percy and Hazel began laughing, leaving an uninterested Leo, frustrated Frank, and very confused Doctor.

“That’s the Pelopion,” Frank tried again after a little while of walking.

“Come on, Zhang,” Leo teased. _“Pelopion_ isn’t even a word. What was it – a sacred spot for _plopping?”_

“It’s the burial site of –” The Doctor began, but Frank cut him off, speaking much louder than usual.

“It’s the burial site of Pelops!” He said, then lowered his voice. “This whole part of Greece, the Peloponnese, was named after him.”

“I suppose I should know who Pelops was?” Leo asked guiltily.

“He was a prince,” Frank said quickly before anyone else could. “Won his wife in a chariot race. Supposedly, he started the Olympic games in honor of that.”

Hazel sniffed. “How romantic. ‘Nice wife you have, Prince Pelops.’ ‘Thanks. I won her in a chariot race.’”

They walked further into the ruins. They stopped at the Temple of Zeus, which was another ruin building with wide steps, that once had looked incredible.

“Used to be a huge gold and ivory statue of Zeus inside,” Frank said. “One of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Made by the same dude who did the Athena Parthenos.”

“Please tell me we don’t have to find it,” Percy said. “I’ve had enough huge magic statues for one trip.”

“Agreed.” Hazel patted Arion’s flank. He was acting skittish and anxious, as if he knew something ominous was lurking.

“Hey, Doctor, Percy,” Leo said suddenly, “Remember that statue of Nike in the museum? The one that was all in pieces?”

“Yeah?” They both replied in unison.

“Didn’t it used to stand _here_ , at the Temple of Zeus?”

“Leo, you’re brilliant.” The Doctor praised.

“Honestly, I hope I’m not.”

Percy’s hand went to his pocket and he pulled out Riptide. “You’re right. If Nike was anywhere…this would be a good spot.”

Frank scanned their surroundings. “I don’t see anything.”

“What if we promoted, like, Adidas shoes?” Percy wondered. “Would that make Nike mad enough to show up?”

Leo smiled nervously. “Yeah, I bet that would _totally_ be against her sponsorship deal. THOSE ARE NOT THE OFFICIAL SHOES OF THE OLYMPICS! YOU WILL DIE NOW!”

Hazel rolled her eyes. “You’re both impossible.”

Directly behind Leo, a thunderous voice shook the ruins. “YOU WILL DIE NOW!”

The group spun around only to find that towering over them in a golden chariot, with a spear aimed right at Leo’s heart, was the goddess Nike.


	4. The Goddess of Victory

Admittedly, the golden wings were a bit much.

Nike had a beautiful golden chariot with two lovely white horses. Nike herself wore a glittering sleeveless dress and piled up braids of dark hair, fit with a gilded laurel wreath. Her expression was wide-eyed and just a touch mad.

But the wings were the most prominent piece. They were polished gold, right down to the last feather, exploding with light. They were a little excessive.

The Doctor glanced back at the others.

“Would you mind putting the wings away?” He asked. “It’d be a shame for my human mates to burn up.”

“What?” Nike’s head jerked towards him. “Oh…my brilliant plumage. Very well. I suppose you can’t die in glory if you are blinded and burned.”

She tucked in her wings. The temperature dropped significantly.

Frank was standing very still, sizing up the goddess. His rucksack hadn’t yet morphed into a bow and quiver, which the Doctor was  _ not  _ about to complain about. He didn’t turn into a goldfish, though, so he couldn’t have been  _ that  _ freaked out.

Leo was looking somewhat fascinated, though kept quiet – which was quite a feat for him.

Hazel was having a bit of trouble with Arion. The stallion nickered and bucked, spitting some  _ very  _ colourful curses, desperately avoiding eye contact with the horses pulling Nike’s chariot.

As for Percy, he held his ballpoint pen out, though Riptide was still sheathed. At least that was something.

“Brilliant,” The Doctor said, “Thanks for that. Humans are so fragile.”

“I’ll show you how fragile we are.” Hazel grumbled.

“Wait,” Leo said, “Who are we talking to? Nike or Victoria?”

“Arggghh!” The goddess clutched the side of her head. Her horses reared, causing Arion to do the same.

The goddess shuddered and split into two separate images. On the left was the first version with the glittery sleeveless dress and dark hair with golden laurels, golden wings folded behind her. On the right was a different version who was dressed for war. She had a Roman breastplate and greaves. Short auburn hair peaked out from the rim of a tall helmet. Her wings were feathery white, her dress purple, and the shaft of her spear fixed with a massive Roman insignia – a golden SPQR in a laurel wreath.

“I am Nike!” Cried the image on the left.

“I am Victoria!” Cried the image on the right.

“I am the decider of victory!” Nike screamed. “Once I stood her at the corner of Zeus’s temple, venerated by all! I oversaw the games of Olympia. Offerings from every city-state were piled at my feet!”

“Games are irrelevant!” Yelled Victoria. “I am the goddess of success in battle! Roman generals worshipped me! Augustus himself erected my altar in the Senate House!”

“Ahhhh!” Both voices screamed in agony. “We must decide! We must have victory!”

Arion bucked so violently that Hazel had to slide off his back to avoid getting thrown. Before she could calm him down, the horse disappeared, leaving a vapour trail through the ruins.

“You’re confused,” The Doctor tried, “Just like the rest of the gods. Greeks and Romans are at the verge of war, your two aspects are clashing.”

“I know that!” The goddess shook her spear. “I cannot abide unresolved conflict! Who is stronger? Who is the winner?”

“There is no winner.” The Doctor insisted. “If this war happens, we all lose – Greeks and Romans alike.”

_ “No winner?”  _ Nike looked shocked. “There is always a winner!  _ One  _ winner. Everyone else is a loser! Otherwise, victory is meaningless. I suppose you want me to give certificates to all the contestants? Little plastic trophies to every single athlete or soldier for  _ participation?  _ Should we all line up and shake hands and tell each other,  _ Good game? _ No! Victory must be real. It must be earned. That means it must be rare and difficult, against steep odds, and defeat  _ must  _ be the other possibility.”

“But the real war is against Gaea.” Leo piped up. 

“He’s right,” Hazel added. “Nike, you were Zeus’s charioteer in the last war with the giants, weren’t you?”

“Of course!”

“Then you know Gaea is the real enemy. We need your help to defeat her. The war isn’t between the Greeks and Romans.”

Victoria roared, “The Greeks must perish!”

“Victory or death!” Nike wailed. “One side must prevail!”

Frank grunted. “I get enough of this from my dad screaming in my head.”

“What?” The Doctor looked at Frank.

Victoria was glaring down at him. “A child of Mars, are you? A praetor of Rome? No true Roman would spare the Greeks. I cannot abide to be split and confused – I cannot think straight! Kill them! Win!”

“Not happening.” Frank said, though the Doctor noticed his right eye twitching.

The Doctor was struggling as well, though. Nike was emanating waves of tension. He forced himself to bite down the darkness that was trying to build up inside of him.

“Look, Miss Victory…” Percy tried to smile. “We don’t want to interrupt your crazy time. Maybe you can just finish this conversation with yourself and we’ll come back later, with, um, some bigger weapons and possibly some sedatives.”

The goddess brandished her spear. “You will determine the matter once and for all! Today,  _ now _ , you will decide the victor! Five of you? Hmm. We could have teams. They will be uneven…”

“We won’t fight.” The Doctor growled.

“I like that aggression.” Nike said. “Now, perhaps girls versus boys!”

“Uh…no.” Hazel said.

“Shirts verses skins!”

“Definitely no.” Said Hazel.

“Greeks versus Romans!” Nike cried. “Yes, of course!”

“But the Doctor’s not Greek  _ or  _ Roman.” Hazel pointed out.

“Then he must pick a side.” Nike said. 

“I won’t.”

“Then I’ll kill you.” Nike shrugged, raising a hand.

“Doctor,” Percy pleaded quietly.

_ Just play along. _ His eyes insisted.  _ We’ll think of something. _

“Fine.” The Doctor grumbled, stepping over towards Percy and Leo.

“Three and two.” Nike said, sounding quite pleased with herself. “The last standing wins. The others will die gloriously.”

“Look, lady,” Leo snapped. “We’re not going to go all  _ Hunger Games  _ on each other. Isn’t going to happen.”

“But you will win a fabulous honour!” Nike reached into a basket at her side and produced a wreath of thick green laurels. “This crown of leaves could be yours! You can wear it on your head! Think of the glory!”

“We won’t do it.” The Doctor repeated.

“The Doctor and Leo are right,” Frank said, though his eyes were fixed on the wreath. His expression was concerningly greed-filled. “We don’t fight each other. We fight the giants. You should help us.”

“Very well!” The goddess raised the laurel wreath in one hand and her spear in the other.

“Uh…does that mean you’ll join us?” Percy asked. “You’ll help us fight the giants?”

“That will be part of the prize,” Nike said, “Whoever wins, I will consider you an ally. We will fight the giants together, and I will bestow victory upon you. But there can only be one winner. The others must be defeated, killed, destroyed utterly. So what will it be, demigods? Will you succeed in your quest, or will you cling to your namby-pamby ideas of friendship and  _ everybody wins _ participation awards?”

Percy uncapped his pen. Riptide grew into a Celestial bronze sword. He pointed it towards Nike. “What if we fight you instead?”

“Ha!” Nike’s eyes gleamed. “If you refuse to fight each other, you shall be persuaded!”

Nike spread her golden wings. Four metal feathers fluttered down, two on either side of the chariot. The feathers twirled, growing larger, sprouting arms and legs, until they touched the ground as four metallic, human-sized replicas of the goddess, each armed with a golden spear and a Celestial bronze laurel wreath.

“To the stadium!” The goddess cried. “You have five minutes to prepare. Then blood shall be spilled.”

The Doctor was about to say something really clever like, ‘ _ No.’ _ But before he could open his mouth, Nike bellowed, “Run! To the stadium with you, or my Nikai will kill you where you stand!”

The metal ladies unhinged their jaws and blasted out an explosion of sound like that of a cheering crowd of a million. They shook their spears and charged the Doctor and the demigods.

“Run!” The Doctor grabbed the closest people to him – Leo and Percy, and pulled them along, Frank and Hazel close behind.

The four metal women swept behind them in a loose semicircle, herding them to the northeast. All the tourists had vanished, if by force or not, the Doctor wasn’t sure, though he did have his suspicions.

The five heroes ran, tripping over stones, leaping over crumbling walls, dodging around columns and informational placards. Behind them, Nike’s chariot wheels rumbled and her horses whinnied.

“There!” Frank pointed, sprinting towards a sort of trench between two earthen walls with a stone archway above. “That’s the entrance to the old Olympic stadium. It’s called –”

“The crypt!” The Doctor shouted.

“Can’t I have  _ anything?”  _ Frank demanded.

The Doctor was confused, but Leo decided to break the tension by yelling,

“That’s not a very good name!”

“Why are we going there?” Percy gasped. “If that's where she wants us –”

The Nikai screamed again and they ran for the tunnel.

When they reached the arch, the Doctor glanced back and called, “Wait.”

They stumbled to a stop. Percy doubled over, wheezing. He seemed to get winded more easily these days…Likely due to the air he’d been forced to breath down in Tartarus.

“They’ve disappeared…” The Doctor murmured.

“Did they give up?” Percy asked hopefully, peering back the way they’d come.

“No, they’ve just herded us where they wanted us.” The Doctor said.

“What were those things, anyway?” Leo asked. “The Nikettes, I mean.”

The Doctor let out a snort of laughter. “Nikai. They’re her victories.”

“In some legends, Nike had an army of little victories she could send all over the world to do her bidding.” Hazel nodded.

“Like Santa’s elves,” Percy said. “Except evil. And metal. And really loud.”

“Well –” The Doctor began, but Frank cut him off.

“Please don’t tell me you’ve met Santa. I really don’t think I can handle all this if you tell me you’ve met Santa.”

“Oh, there’s not such a thing as Santa.” The Doctor frowned.

“Thank the gods.” Frank let out a breath of relief.

“What I was going to say, is that evil is a matter of perspective. They’re not necessarily evil, they’re just doing the bidding of their mistress.”

“Who is evil.” Leo said.

“Well –”

“Ghosts linger in this place,” Hazel murmured. “A lot of pain is embedded in these stones.”

She was pressing her fingers against the arch. Beyond the narrow tunnel, the earthen walls opened into a long field with gently rising slopes on either side, like seating for spectators.

“Please tell me you’ve got a plan.” Leo looked at the Doctor. “Preferably one that doesn’t involve embedding my pain in stones.”

The Doctor glanced at Hazel. Her eyes were stormy and distant.

“This was the players’ entrance.” He explained slowly. “Nike said we’ve got five minutes to prepare. Then, I expect, she’ll want us to pass under this archway, here, and begin the games. I don’t think we’ll be allowed to leave that field until four of us are dead.”

The Doctor attempted a casual lean on the side of the wall. All the running had jarred his wound. Hazel was looking at him suspiciously, but he waved her off silently.

“I’m pretty sure death matches weren’t an Olympic sport.”

“Actually, the athletes would often beg Zeus for ‘victory or death.’ Many would choose death long before defeat. Not that death was common, but it certainly happened. It wasn’t forbidden by any means.”

“Great.” Frank grumbled. “I feel  _ so _ much better now.”

“I might be able to give us an edge.” Hazel said, “When we pass through, I could raise some obstacles on the field – hiding places to buy us some time.”

Frank frowned. “You mean like on the Field of Mars – trenches, tunnels, that kind of thing? You can do that with the Mist?”

“I think so,” Hazel said. “Nike would probably  _ like  _ to see an obstacle course. I can play her expectations against her. But it would be more than that. I can use any subterranean gateway – even this arch – to access the Labyrinth. I can raise part of the Labyrinth to the surface.”

“Woah, woah, woah.” Percy made a time-out sign. “The Labyrinth is  _ bad _ .” He glanced at the Doctor, who nodded in confirmation. “We discussed this.”

“You’re brilliant with the Mist, Hazel, honestly.” The Doctor said, “But I think we should leave the Labyrinth alone.”

“You’ll have to trust me.” She said. “We’ve only got a couple of minutes now. When we pass through the arch, I can at least manipulate the playing field to our advantage.”

Percy exhaled through his nose. “Twice now, I’ve been forced to fight in stadiums – once in Rome, and before that  _ in  _ the Labyrinth. I hate playing games for people’s amusement.”

“You’re not the only one.” The Doctor grumbled in agreement. “And we can pretend to fight until we can neutralize the Nikai, but we’ve got to get Nike under control if we’re going to prevent the war.”

“But how are we supposed to do that?” Percy asked. “Bonk her on the head and stuff her in a sack?”

The Doctor could almost see Leo’s mental gears beginning to turn.

“Actually,” He said. “You’re not far off. Uncle Leo brought some toys for all you good little kiddies.”

Two minutes wasn’t nearly enough time, even with the help of the Sonic. But with any luck, everyone had the right gadgets and knew how to use them. If not, things were about to get ugly.

Finally, the sound of trumpets echoed throughout the stadium. Nike’s chariot appeared on the field, the Nikai arrayed before her with their spears and laurels raised.

“Begin!” The goddess bellowed.

Percy, Leo, and the Doctor sprinted through the archway. Immediately, the field shimmered and became a maze of brick walls and trenches. They ducked behind the nearest wall and ran left. Back in the archway, the Doctor could hear Frank yelling, “Uh, die,  _ Graecus  _ and, uh, alien scum!”

“More vicious!” Nike yelled. “Kill like you mean it!”

Leo glanced at the Doctor and Percy. “Ready?”

The Doctor grinned. “Always.”

“I seriously hope you labeled these right.” Percy said, hefting his grenade. He yelled, “Die, Romans!” and lobbed the grenade over the wall.

_ BOOM! _

The Doctor couldn’t quite see the explosion, but the smell of buttery popcorn filled the air.

“Oh, no!” Hazel wailed. “Popcorn! Our fatal weakness!”

Frank shot another arrow over their heads. The Doctor, Percy, and Leo scrambled to the left, ducking through a maze of walls that seemed to shift and turn on their own.

Somewhere behind them, Nike yelled. “Try harder! That popcorn was not fatal!”

From the rumble of her chariot wheels, the Doctor could safely guess that she was circling the perimeter of the field.

Another grenade exploded over the Doctor, Percy, and Leo’s heads. They divided into a trench as the green explosion of Greek fire singed the Doctor’s hair. Fortunately, Frank had aimed high enough that the blast only  _ looked  _ impressive.

“Better,” Nike called out, “But where is your aim? Don’t you  _ want  _ this circlet of leaves?”

“I wish the river was closer,” Percy muttered. “I want to drown her.”

“Be patient, water boy.” Leo said.

“Don’t call me  _ water boy _ .” Percy said. “That’s almost as bad as calling the Doctor, ‘martian boy' or ‘alien man.’”

“Don’t –” The Doctor growled, before taking a breath and saying more calmly. “Don’t call me that.”

Leo and Percy glanced at the Doctor nervously.

The Doctor ignored their look and pointed across the field to where the walls had shifted, revealing one of the Nikai about thirty meters away, standing with her back to them.

“I’ll distract,” The Doctor said. “You two attack. Ready?”

Percy and Leo nodded.

“Brilliant, Allons-y!”

The demigods dashed to the left as the Doctor jumped out and called, “Hey, over here! Look at me!”

The Nikai turned and marched towards him, raising her barbed-wire laurel wreath.

“Come get me!” The Doctor ducked as the metal circlet spun over his head. He grimaced as his wound screamed in protest, but he ignored it, sending a burst of adrenaline to at least dull the pain for the time being.

The wreath hit a wall behind him, punching a hole directly through the bricks, then arced backwards through the air. As the Nikai raised her hand to catch it, Percy emerged from the trench behind her and slashed with Riptide, cutting the Nikai in half at the waist. Leo caught the metal wreath just before it embedded itself in the marble column.

“Foul!” The victory goddess cried. The walls shifted and the Doctor could see her barreling towards them in her chariot. “You don’t attack the Nikai unless you wish to die!”

A trench appeared in the goddess’s path, causing her horses to balk. The Doctor pulled Leo and Percy for cover. Out of the corner of his eye, about fifteen meters away, the Doctor could see Frank in grizzly bear form, jumping from the top of a wall and flatten another Nikai.

“No!” Nike screamed in outrage. “No, no, no! Your lives are forfeit! Nikai, attack!”

The Doctor, Percy, and Leo leapt behind a wall, they lay there for a moment, trying to catch their breath. The Doctor tried to ignore the pain in his gut.

“You right?” Percy asked, glancing at the Time Lord’s pale face nervously.

“Fine, fine.” The Doctor promised.

One Nikette left,” Leo said. “I wonder –”

Somewhere close by, Hazel cried out in pain.

The Doctor was on his feet in an instant.

“Dude, wait!” Percy called out, but the Doctor plunged into the maze.

The walls fell away on either side, and the Doctor found himself in an open stretch of field. Frank stood at the far end of the stadium, shooting flaming arrows at Nike’s chariot as the goddess bellowed insults and tried to find a path to him across the shifting network of trenches.

Hazel was closer – about twenty meters away. The fourth Nikai had clearly snuck up upon her. Hazel was limping away from her attacker, her jeans ripped, her left leg bleeding. She parried the metal lady’s spear with her cavalry sword, but she was about to be overpowered. All around her, the Mist flickered. She was losing control.

“Doctor!” Percy and Leo were calling from behind them.

“Stick to the plan!” The Doctor shouted back.

“But the plan was to eliminate all four Nikai first.” Leo called.

The Doctor grinned madly. “Improvise!”

Percy grinned back and he and Leo both ran.

“Hey!” Leo yelled as he and Percy ran towards Nike. “I want a participation award!”

“Gah!” The goddess pulled the reins and turned her chariot in their direction. “I will destroy you!”

“Good!” Leo yelled. “Losing is way better than winning!”

_ “WHAT?”  _ Nike threw her mighty spear, but her aim was off with the rocking of the chariot. Her weapons kittered into the grass. Sadly, a new one appeared in her hands.

She urged her horses to a full gallop. The trenches disappeared, leaving an open field, perfect for mowing down small demigods.

The Doctor reached Hazel, shoving the Nikai away from her.

“Hey!” Frank yelled from across the stadium. “I want a participation award, too! Everybody wins!”

He shot a well-aimed arrow that landed in the back of Nike’s chariot and began to burn. Nike ignored it, eyes fixed on Leo.

“Doctor?” Leo called, fishing out the Archimedes sphere from his tool belt and setting the concentric circles to arm the device.

The Doctor was dodging the swipes of the Nikai, guiding her away from Hazel.

From the corner of his eye, he could see Leo throw the sphere in the chariot’s path. It hit the ground and burrowed in, but they would need the Doctor to spring the trap so that Percy could send water through it. If Nike sensed any threat, she didn’t think much of it. She kept charging at Leo.

“Doctor!” Leo yelled. “We need the Sonic!”

But unfortunately, the Doctor was a little busy. The Nikai thumped him right in the gut with the butt of her spear. He cried out in pain, his vision going out for a moment as he crashed to the ground.

When he was able to see properly again, the Doctor could see the Nikai looming above him, moving in for the kill.

He could hear Leo howling in the distance, and then out of nowhere, a blast of white hot fire slammed the metallic lady in the face. It quite literally melted her face. She staggered, her spear still raised, but before she could regain her balance, Hazel thrust her spatha and impaled the Nikai through the chest, sending it crashing to the ground.

The Doctor turned to the victory goddess’s chariot, Sonic out and in the air. Just as the large white horses were about to run Leo and Percy over, the carriage passed over Leo’s sunken grenade, which exploded in a high-pressure geyser. Water blasted upwards, flipping the chariot.

Hazel collapsed onto the Doctor, who also could barely move, but he caught her nonetheless. Frank ran towards them from across the field.

The Doctor could see Leo pushing Percy towards the Doctor, Hazel, and Frank, leaving him on his own as Nike disentangled herself from the wreckage and rose to face them. Her braided hairdo was now left disheveled, a laurel wreath was stuck around her left ankle. Her horses got to their hooves and galloped away in a panic, dragging the soaked, half-burning wreckage of the chariot behind them.

The Doctor tried to get to his feet, but Percy helped him back to the ground, insisting he stay down. 

_ “YOU!”  _ Nike glared at Leo, “You  _ dare?” _

Leo gave a forced smile. “I know, right? I’m awesome! Do I win a leaf hat now?”

“You will die!” The goddess raised her spear.

“Hold that thought!” Leo dug around in his tool belt. “You haven’t seen my best trick yet. I have a weapon guaranteed to win  _ any  _ contest!”

Nike hesitated. “What weapon? What do you mean?”

“My ultimate zap-o-matic!” He pulled out a second Archimedes sphere. “How many laurel wreaths have you got? Because I’m gonna win them all.”

He fiddled with the dials. The Doctor seriously hoped he’d done his calculations right. Otherwise, he could take out the entire stadium.

“Behold!” Leo clicked the final dial. The sphere opened. One side elongated into a gun handle. The other side unfolded into a miniature radar dish made of Celestial bronze mirrors.

Nike frowned. “What is that supposed to be?”

“An Archimedes death ray!” Leo said. “I finally perfected it. Now give me all the prizes. ”

“Those things don’t work!” Nike yelled. “They proved it on television! Besides, I’m an immortal goddess. You can't destroy me!”

“Watch closely,” Leo said. “Are you watching?”

Nike could’ve killed him on the spot, but her curiosity got the best of her. She stared directly into the dish as Leo flipped the switch. 

A blazing beam of light exploded out. Even the Doctor was forced to avert his eyes.

“Gah!” The goddess staggered. She dropped her spear and clutched at her eyes. “I’m blind! I’m blind!”

Leo hit another button. It collapsed back into a sphere and began to hum. Leo continued silently to three, then tossed the sphere at the goddess's feet.

_ FOOM! _ Metal filaments shot upwards, wrapping Nike in a bronze net. She wailed, falling sideways as the net constricted, forcing her two forms – Greek and Roman – into a quivering, out-of-focus whole.

“Trickery!” Her doubled voices buzzed, somehow both flowing together, and contrasting violently. “Your death ray did not even kill me!”

“I don’t need to kill you,” Leo said. “I vanquished you just fine.”

“I will simply change form!” She cried. “I will rip apart your silly net! I will destroy you!”

“Yeah, see, you can’t.” Leo said confidently. “That’s high-quality Celestial bronze netting, and I’m a son of Hephaestus. He’s kind of an expert on catching goddesses in nets.”

“No. Noooooo!”

Leo left her thrashing and made his way over to the others.

Hazel was propped up on Frank, who was feeding her ambrosia. The cut on her leg had stopped bleeding, though her jeans were ruined.

The Doctor was fine. Really. Okay, he was a little not fine. Dark spots danced in his eyes and the pain in his gut tried to pull him under.

“You all right?” Leo called as he approached.

“I’m okay,” Hazel said. “Just too much magic.”

“Doctor?” Leo asked. 

“I’m okay.” The Doctor insisted. “Always okay, me. I’m the king of okay!”

“That’s never gonna work on me, man.” Leo said. “But you guys were awesome.”

“Speak for yourself.” Hazel said. “You were amazing! Trapping Nike in the net!”

“So were you.” Leo said, doing his best to imitate Hazel’s voice:  _ “‘Popcorn! Our fatal weakness!’” _

She smiled wanly. Frank helped her up, and Percy helped the Doctor.

Percy silently offered a shoulder, which the Doctor accepted gratefully.

They made their way back towards Nike, who was still writing and flapping her wings in the net like a golden chicken.

“What do we do with her?” Percy asked.

“Take her aboard the  _ Argo II,”  _ Leo suggested. “Chuck her in one of the horse stalls.”

Hazel’s eyes widened. “You’re going to keep the goddess of victory in the stable?”

“Why not? Once we sort things out between Greeks and Romans, the gods should go back to their normal selves. Then we can free her and she can…you know…grant us victory.”

“Grant  _ you  _ victory?” The goddess cried. “Never! You will suffer for this outrage! Your blood shall be spilled! One of you here – one of you five – is fated to die battling Gaea!”

The Doctor froze.

“How do you know that?” Leo demanded.

“She can foresee victories.” The Doctor murmured. “She can see it…”

“You will have no success without death!” Nike yelled. “Release me and fight each other! It is better you die here than face what is to come!”

Hazel struck the point of her spatha under Nike’s chin. “Explain.” Her voice was harder than the Doctor had ever heard. “Which of us will die? How do we stop it?”

“Ah, child of Pluto! Your magic helped you cheat in this contest, but you cannot cheat destiny. One of you will die. One of you  _ must  _ die!”

“No,” Hazel insisted. “There’s another way. There is _always_ another path.”  
“Hecate taught you this?” Nike laughed.

“The Doctor, actually.” Hazel said coldly.

This caused Nike to laugh even harder. “You would hope for the physician’s cure, perhaps? But that is impossible. Too much stands in your way: The poison of Pylos, the chained god’s heartbeat in Sparta, the curse of Delos! No, you cannot cheat death.”

Frank knelt. He gathered up the net under Nike’s chin and raised her face to his. “What are you talking about? How do we find this cure?”

“I will not help you,” Nike growled. “I will curse you with my power, net or no!”

She began to mutter in Ancient Greek.

Frank looked up, scowling. “Can she really cast magic through this net?”

“Heck if I know,” Leo said.

Frank let go of the goddess. He took off one of his shoes, peeled off his sock, and stuffed it in the goddess’s mouth.

“Dude,” Percy said, “That is disgusting.”

“Mpppphhh!” Nike complained. “Mppppphhh!”

“Leo,” Frank said grimly, “You got duct tape?”

“Never leave home without it.” He fished a roll from his belt and in no time, Frank had wrapped it around Nike’s head, securing the gag in her mouth.

“Well, it’s not a laurel wreath,” Frank said, “But it’s a new kind of victory circle: the gag of duct tape.”

“Zhang,” Leo said, “You got style.”

Nike thrashed and grunted until Percy nudged her with his toe. “Hey, shut up. You behave or we’ll get Arion back here and let him nibble your wings. He loves gold.”

Nike shrieked once, then became still and quiet.

“Right,” The Doctor sighed, sounding rather exasperated. “We need to go looking for the physician’s cure.”

Frank smiled. “Nothing quite like cheating death.”

“Trust, me,” The Doctor said, “It’s not as fun as you’d think.”

“Nope. Not gonna ask. We’re gonna go find the cure. Let’s go.”

Leo grinned. “This is gonna be fun.”

Hazel sighed. “No, it’s not.”


	5. Journey to Sparta

It was much more difficult than the Doctor expected to find deadly poison.

All morning, he, Piper, and Frank scoured the port of Pylos. Frank had brought Piper along with hopes that her charmspeak may be useful if they ran into his shape-shifting relatives. The Doctor, on the other hand was begrudgingly accepted on the search, as he refused to accept any other answer.

So far all they’d done was fight some Laistrygonian giants in the bakery, battled a massive warthog in the public square and defeated a flock of Stymphalian birds thanks to some well-aimed vegetables from Piper’s cornucopia.

As they walked through the town, they found adverts plastered around for Piper’s father’s new movie. It showed Piper’s father, his shirt ripped open to reveal his abs, two massive guns in each hand, and a rakish smile on his face. Across the top of the poster, it read:  _ Tristan McLean is Jake Steel Signed in Blood. _

“It’s a horrible title.” Piper grumbled.

By midday, Piper finally put her charmspeak to work. She spoke with an Ancient Greek ghost in a Laundromat and managed to procure directions to an ancient stronghold where the shape shifting descendants of Periclymenus supposedly spent their time.

After trudging across the island in the afternoon heat, they found the cave perched halfway up a beachside cliff. The Doctor, already pale, exhausted, and leaning on the wall for support, reluctantly accepted when Frank insisted he and Piper wait for him at the bottom whilst he checked it out.

The Doctor and Piper sat down at the entrance of the cave. Behind them, a stretch of white sand hugged the foot of the hills. Sunbathers sprawled on blankets. Young children splashed in the waves.

Piper sighed longingly. “I wish I could surf those waters.”

The Doctor glanced up at her. “Didn’t know you were a surfer, Piper.”

“Yeah,” Piper shrugged. “I promised I’d teach Hazel and Annabeth someday. I could teach you too, if you’d like, you know, if you ever come out to Malibu…If Malibu still exists after all this.”

The Doctor hummed quietly. “We’ll make it through,” He promised. “Disaster after disaster, Earth always makes it through.”

Piper gave a laugh, that admittedly sounded a touch forced. “Are you really saving the Earth like, every other weekend?”

“Feels like it sometimes.”

“You must’ve seen a lot, then.”

The Doctor frowned. “What are you getting at?”

“It’s just,” Piper hesitated, casting her eyes away so as to avoid the Doctor’s gaze. “Sometimes you get this look in your eyes…”

The Doctor shifted uncomfortably. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”

“You just get so far away and dark…like you could destroy an army with the snap of your fingers.” She glanced back at him. “You’ve called yourself the Oncoming Storm a couple times now. I’ve got a feeling that’s a title you earned.”

“It is.” The Doctor admitted quietly. “And it’s nothing I’m proud of.”

“What did you do?”

“You really don’t want to know.”

“I just need to understand, Doctor.” Piper pleaded. “I need to understand you.”

“You don’t  _ want _ to understand, Piper.

“Why not?” She demanded. “Why are you so determined to deal with everything on your own?”

“Because I’ve seen things you could never imagine.” The Doctor said lowly, “And I’ve done things even worse.”

Piper looked like she wasn’t quite sure what to say.

“Doctor…”

Before she could say anything more, Frank appeared at the cave entrance. Next to him stood a tall gray-haired man in a white linen suit and a pale yellow tie. The older man pressed a small shiny object into Frank’s hand. He and Frank exchanged a few words. Frank nodded gravely. Then, the man turned into a seagull and flew off.

Frank picked his way down the trail until he reached Piper and the Doctor.

“I found them.” He said.

“I noticed.” Piper said. “You okay?”

His close-cropped hair pointed forwards, making his gaze all the more intense. His Roman badges –  _ mural crown, centurion, praetor – _ glittered on his shirt collar. On his forearm, the SPQR tattoo with the crossed spears of Mars stood out darkly in the full sunlight.

He looked quite nice in his new outfit. The massive warthog had slimed his old clothes pretty badly, so Piper had dragged both him and the Doctor for some shopping in Pylos. Now he was wearing new black jeans, soft leather boots, and a dark green Henly shirt that fitted him snugly.

“Frank?” The Doctor prompted.

“Yeah, sorry.” He focused on the Doctor and Piper. “My, uh…cousins, I guess you’d call them…they’ve been living here for generations, all descended from Periclymenus the Argonaut. I told them my story, how the Zhang family had gone from Greece to Rome to China to Canada. I told them about the legionnaire ghost I saw in the House of Hades, urging me to come to Pylos. They…they didn’t seem surprised. They said it’s happened before, long lost relatives coming home.”

Piper seemed to pick up the wistfulness in his voice. “You were expecting something different.”

He shrugged. “A bigger welcome. Some party balloons. I’m not sure. My grandmother told me I would close the circle – bring our family honour and all that. But my cousins here…they acted kind of cold and distant, like they didn’t want me around. I don’t think they liked that I’m a son of Mars. Honestly, I don’t think they liked that I’m Chinese, either.”

Piper looked furious. “If your cousins feel that way, they’re idiots. They don’t know how great you are.”

Frank shuffled from foot to foot. “They got a little more friendly when I told them I was just passing through. They gave me a going-away present.”

He opened his hand. In his palm gleamed a small metallic vial.

The Doctor snatched it from his hand and raised it to the air, peering at it from an elevated angle. “Pylosian mint…Very nice.”

“Apparently the plant sprang from the blood of a nymph who died on a mountain near here, back in ancient times.” Frank said.

“Yes, Minthe.” The Doctor murmured. “Brilliant girl…”

“You knew her?” Piper asked.

The Doctor hummed quietly. “Was my fault she died. She got arrogant…I should’ve stopped her…”

“What happened to her?” Frank asked.

“She loved Hades.” The Doctor admitted. “I took her in the TARDIS once…but I didn’t realize her motives. I should have realized…She brought back a few souvenirs that she sacrificed to Hades, claiming they proved she was the superior to Persephone.”

Frank winced. He already knew where this was going.

“Persephone slayed her and from her blood sprang a plant.”

Frank looked down, rolling the vial around in his palm. “I wish Vitellius Reticulus were here.”

“Ridiculous who?” Piper asked.

A smile flickered across the boy’s mouth. “Gaius Vitellius Reticulus, although we  _ did  _ call him Ridiculous sometimes. He was one of the Lares of the Fifth Cohort. Kind of a goofball, but he was the son of Aesculapius, the healing god. If anybody knew about this physician’s cure…he might.”

“A healing god would be nice.” The Doctor murmured. “Instead of yet another war-god.”

“It would be better than having a screaming, tied-up victory goddess on board.” Piper agreed.

“Hey, you’re lucky. My cabin is closest to the stables. I can hear her yelling all night:  _ FIRST PLACE OR DEATH! AN A-MINUS IS A FAILING GRADE! _ Leo really needs to design a gag that’s better than my old sock.”

The Doctor sighed. “I still think it was a terrible idea to keep her captive.”

The other two shrugged as if to say,  _ Well, there’s nothing we can do about it now. _

“So, your cousins…” Piper said. “Did they have any advice about what comes next? This chained god we’re supposed to find in Sparta?”

“Yeah. I’m afraid they had some thoughts on that.” Frank glanced nervously at the Doctor. “Let’s get back to the ship, then I’ll tell you about it.”

Before the Doctor could protest and insist he was fine, he heard footsteps behind them.

“Hello, nice tourists!” A scraggly fisherman with a white captain’s hat and a mouth full of golden teeth beamed at them. “Boat ride? Very cheap?”

He gestured toward the shore, where a skiff with an outboard motor waited.

Piper smiled, then, in charmspeak, said, “Yes please. And we’d like you to take us somewhere special.”

The boat captain dropped them at the  _ Argo II,  _ anchored a half kilometer out to sea.

“Thank you,” Piper said, pressing a wad of euros in the captain’s hands. “If anyone asks, you took us around the island and showed us the sights. You dropped us at the docks of Pylos. You never saw any giant warship.”

“No warship,” The captain agreed. “Thank you, nice tourists!”

The Doctor climbed aboard the  _ Argo II _ , Frank and Piper right behind, hovering suspiciously as if they expected him to collapse onto them.

The crew gathered for a hurried meeting on the foredeck – mostly due to the fact that Percy was keeping an eye on a massive red sea serpent swimming off the port side.

“That thing is _really_ red,” Percy muttered. “I wonder if it’s cherry-flavoured.”  
“Why don’t you swim over and find out?” Annabeth asked.

“How about no.”

“Anyway,” Frank said, “According to my Pylos cousins, the chained god we’re looking for in Sparta is my dad…uh, I mean Ares, not Mars. Apparently the Spartans kept a statue of him chained up in their city so the spirit of war would never leave them.”

The Doctor exchanged a glance with Percy. Neither boy was on particularly good terms with the Greek war god.

“Oo-kay,” Leo said. “The Spartans were freaks. Of course, we’ve got Victory tied up downstairs, so I guess we can’t talk.”

Jason leaned against the forward ballista. “On to Sparta, then. But how does a chained god’s heartbeat help us find a cure for dying?”

No one had any answers.

“What about you, Piper?” Hazel asked. “See any more visions in your dagger blade?”

Piper reluctantly unsheathed Katoptris. She stared into it. “I, um…” She hesitated. “I don’t see anything right now. But one vision kept popping up. Annabeth, the Doctor, and I are exploring some ruins –”

“Ruins!” Leo rubbed his hands. “Now we're talking. How many ruins can there be in Greece?”

“Quiet, Leo.” Annabeth scolded.

“You think we were in Sparta?” The Doctor asked.

“Maybe,” Piper said, sounding unsure. “But, suddenly we’re in this dark place like a cave. We’re staring at this bronze warrior statue. In the vision I touch the statue’s face and flames start swirling around us. That’s all I saw.”

“Flames.” Frank scowled. “I don’t like that vision.”

“Me neither.” Percy agreed, keeping one eye on the red sea serpent, which was still slithering through the waves a hundred meters to port. “If the statue engulfs people in fire, we should send Leo.”

“I love you too, man.”

“You know what I mean. You’re immune. Or, heck, give me some of those nice water grenades and  _ I’ll  _ go. Ares and I have tangled before.”

“If Piper only saw the three of us going after the statue, then that’s all we should send.” The Doctor said. “Plus, three’s a lucky number.”

“We’ll be all right.” Annabeth assured Percy, who was looking a little nervous. “There’s always a way to survive.”

“Not always,” Hazel warned.

The Doctor – the only person in the group besides Hazel who had actually died before – nodded darkly.

Frank held out the vial Pylosian mint. “What about this stuff? After the House of Hades, I kind of hoped we were done drinking poison.”

“Store it securely in the hold,” Annabeth said. “For now, that’s all we can do. Once we figure out this chained god situation, we’ll head to the island of Delos.”

_ “The Curse of Delos,”  _ Hazel remembered. “That sounds fun.”

“WIth any Luck, Apollo will be there.” The Doctor said. “Delos was his home island.”

“Not to mention, he’s the god of medicine.” Annabeth added. “He should be able to advise us.”

Off the port bow, the cherry-coloured sea serpent spewed steam.

“Yeah, it’s definitely checking us out,” Percy decided. “Maybe we should take to the air for a while.”

“Airborne it is!” Leo said. “Festus, do the honours!”

The bronze dragon figurehead creaked and clacked. The ship’s engine hummed. The oars lifted, expanding into aerial blades and the  _ Argo II  _ rose into the sky.

“We should reach Sparta by morning.” Leo announced. “And remember to come by the mess hall tonight folks, ‘cause Chef Leo is making his famous three-alarm tofu tacos!”

The Doctor hadn't quite planned on getting yelled at by a three-legged table today. If he had a nickel for every time that happened…Well, he’d have two nickels. But it was weird that it happened twice.

It had been the middle of the night when he’d heard Jason shouting for him. He’d jumped off his bed, only to aggravate his wounds and to hit the floor.

“Doctor?” He could hear the wince in his voice at the loud clatter.

He bounded towards Jason’s voice, Buford – who had been monitoring the halls – chasing after him, the tiny Coach Hedge screaming at him to stop. He ran right into Piper’s room.

“What is it, what?”

Piper was on her bed, her head rested in Jason’s lap. She was murmuring, whimpering.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.” Jason said.

“You didn’t wake me.” The Doctor scoffed. “I don’t need nearly as much sleep as you fragile, little –”

“Um, I was wondering,” Jason continued, “I know you can go into dreams and all that…Can you, you know, make the nightmares stop?”

“I can’t make them stop, but I can keep her company in there.”

He glanced down at Piper, then nodded. “Please, make sure she’s not alone. I know how terrifying those nightmares can be, and…I think you do too.”

The Doctor didn’t respond. He placed two fingers to her temples and he plunged into her dreams.

The Doctor landed in the Acropolis.

The ancient stronghold was perched on a hill, rising a hundred and twenty meters over the nighttime sprawl of modern Athens. The sheer cliffs were topped with a crown of limestone walls. On the clifftop, a collection of ruined temples and modern cranes glaemad silver in the moonlight.

The Doctor found himself beside Piper, flying above the Parthenon, the left side of its hollow shell encased in metal scaffolding.

“Doctor!” Piper cried, seeing the Doctor for the first time.

There were no mortals in the Acropolis. Gaea’s forces must have arranged to keep the tourists and construction workers away.

They zoomed to the center of the temple. The giants had gathered there. They could see Otis and Ephialtes, dressed in matching construction worker outfits; Polybotes, with poison dripping from his dreadlocks and a breastplate sculpted to resemble hungry mouths; and, Enceladus, his armor etched with flame designs, his hair braided with bones. His flagpole-sized spear was burned with purple fire.

“I thought each giant was born to oppose a specific god,” Piper said. “But there are  _ way  _ more than twelve giants here.”

She was right. There were at the very least twenty giants, and at their feet milled a horde of smaller monsters – Cyclopes, ogres, Gegeines, dracaenae…

In the center of the crowd stood an empty, makeshift throne of twisted scaffolding and stone blocks that looked to have been taken from the ruins.

As the Doctor and Piper watched, a new giant lumbered up the steps at the far end of the Acropolis. He wore a massive velour tracksuit with golden chains around his neck and greased-back hair. He ran towards the Parthenon and stumbled inside, flattening several Gegeines under his feet. He stopped, gasping for breath at the foot of the throne.

“Where is Porphyrion?” He demanded. “I have news!”

Enceladus stepped forth. “Tardy as usual, Hippolytos. I hope your news is worth the wait. King Porphyrion should be…”

The ground between them split. An even larger giant leapt from the earth.

“King Porphyrion is here,” Announced the king.

He looked just as he had at the Wolf House, towering over his brethren with seaweed coloured braids with captured demigod weapons in them. His face was cruel and pale green, his eyes white as the Mist itself. His body radiated its own sort of gravity, causing the other monsters to lean towards him. Soil and pebbles skittered across the ground, towards his massive dragon feet.

Hippolytos kneeled. “My king, I bring word of the enemy!”

The Doctor and Piper exchanged a look.

Porphyrion took his throne. “Speak.”

“The demigod ship sails around the Peloponnese. Already they have destroyed the ghosts at Ithaca and captured the goddess Nike in Olympia!”

The crowd of monsters stirred uneasily. A Cyclops chewed his fingernails. Two dracaenae exchanged coins like they were taking bets for the End-of-the-World sweepstake.

Porphyrion simply laughed. “Hippolytos, do you wish to kill your enemy Hermes and become the messenger of the giants?”

“Yes, my king!”

“Then you will have to bring fresher news. I know all this already. None of it matters! The demigods have taken the route we  _ expected  _ them to take. They would have been fools to go any other way.”

“But, sire, they will arrive at Sparta by morning! If they manage to unleash the  _ makhai _ –”

“Idiot!” Porphyrion’s voice shook the ruins. “Our brother Mimas awaits them at Sparta. You need not worry. The demigods cannot change their fate. One way or another, their blood shall be spilled upon these stones and wake the Earth Mother!”

The crowd roared in approval and brandished their weapons. Hippoltyos bowed and retreated, but another giant approached the throne.

This one was female. She had the same dragon-like legs and the same long braided hair. She was just as tall and burly as the males, though her voice was higher and reedier.

“Father!” She cried. “I ask again: Why here, in this place? Why not on the slopes of Mount Olympus itself? Surely –”

“Periboia,” the king growled, “The matter is settled. The original Mount Olympus is now a barren peak. It offers us no glory. Here, in the centre of the Greek world, the roots of the gods truly run deep. There may be older temples, but this  _ Parthenon  _ holds their memory best. In the minds of mortals, it is the most powerful symbol of the Olympians. When the blood of the last heroes is spilled here, the Acropolis shall be razed. This hill shall crumble, and the entire city shall be consumed by the Earth Mother. We will be the masters of Creation!”

The crowd hollered and howled, but the giantess Periboia didn’t look convinced.

“You tempt fate, Father,” She said. “The demigods have friends here as well as enemies. It is not wise –”

“WISE?” Porphyrion rose from this throne. All the giants took a step back. “Enceladus, my counsellor, explain to my daughter what wisdom is!”

The fiery giant came forwards. His eyes glowed like diamonds.

“You need not worry, princess,” Enceladus said. “We have taken Delphi. Apollo was driven out of Olympus in shame. The future is closed to the gods. They stumble forward blindly. As for tempting fate…” He gestured to his left, and a smaller giant shuffled forth. He had ratty grey hair, a wrinkled face and eyes that were milky with cataracts. Instead of armour, he wore a tattered sackcloth tunic. His dragon-scale legs were as white as frost.

He didn’t look like much, but the other monsters kept their distance. Even Porphyrion leaned away from the gold giant.

“This is Thoon,” Enceladus said. “Just as many of us were born to kill certain gods, Thoon was born to kill the Three Fates. He will strangle the old ladies with his bare hands. He will shred their yarn and destroy their loom. He will destroy Fate itself!”

King Porphyrion rose and spread his arms in triumph. “No more prophecies, my friends! No more futures foretold! The time of Gaea shall be our era, and we will make our own destiny!”

The crowd cheered loudly.

Then, they were awake.

Jason was shaking them awake.

“We’re in Sparta.” He said. “Can you guys get ready?”

The Doctor and Piper both sat up.

“Yeah,” Piper said. “But there’s something you guys need to hear.”


	6. The Bane of Hephaestus

When the Doctor and Piper recounted Piper’s dream for Annabeth and Percy, the ship’s toilets exploded.

“No way are you three going down there alone.”

Leo ran down the hall waving a wench. “Man, did you _have_ to destroy the plumbing?”

Percy ignored him. Water ran down the gangway. The hull rumbled as more pipes burst and sinks overflowed.

“We’ll be all right.” Annabeth told him. “Piper foresaw the three of us going down there, so that's what needs to happen.”

“Don’t worry,” The Doctor said. “I’ll keep them safe.”

“And I’ll keep _him_ out of trouble.” Annabeth promised.

The Doctor stuck out his tongue as Percy went on. “And this Mimas dude? I’m guessing he’s a giant?”

“Seeing as Porphyrion called him _‘our brother,’_ I would assume so.”

“And what about the other things you mentioned?” Percy asked. “The Mackies?”

“The Makhai.” The Doctor said. “In Greek it translates to _battles_. Other than that…I’m not quite sure.”

“That’s my point!” Percy said. “We don’t know what’s down there. I’m going with you.”

“No.” Annabeth put her hand on his arm. “If the giants want our blood, the _last_ thing we need is a boy and a girl demigod going down there together. Remember? They want one of each for their big sacrifice.”

“Then I’ll get Jason,” Percy said. “And we and the Doctor, the three of us –”

“Seaweed Brain, are you implying that you boys can handle this better than us girls?”

“No. I mean…no. But –”

Annabeth kissed him. “We’ll be back before you know it.”

“I’ll keep them safe.” The Doctor promised again before following Annabeth and Piper upstairs before the entire lower deck could flood with toilet water.

An hour later, the three of them stood on a hill that overlooked the ruins of Ancient Sparta. They’d already scouted the modern city – a bunch of low, boxy buildings sprawled across a plain at the foot of some purple mountains. Annabeth had insisted on checking the archaeology museum – which she quickly got tired of after the Doctor began mocking those silly little archeologists who thought of all those ridiculous theories. Then, they checked the metal statue of the Spartan warrior in public square, then the National Museum of Olives and Olive oil. There were no giant attacks, no statues of chained gods.

Annabeth seemed reluctant to check the ruins on the edge of town, but finally they ran out of other places to look.

There wasn’t all that much to see. Annabeth had informed them that the hill they stood on had once been Sparta’s acropolis – its highest point and main fortress, though it was nothing like the acropolis from Piper’s dreams.

The weathered slope was covered with dead grass, rocks, and stunted olive trees. Below, the ruins stretched out for a half kilometer: limestone blocks, a few broken walls, and some tiled holes in the ground.

Piper wiped the sweat from her forehead. “You’d think if there was a thirty foot tall giant around we’d see him.”

The Doctor hummed in agreement as Annabeth stared at the distant shape of the _Argo II,_ floating above downtown Sparta. She fingered the red coral pendant on her necklace – a gift from Percy when they first started dating.

“You’re thinking about Percy.” He observed.

She nodded.

He’d got both stories after Annabeth and Percy returned from Tartarus. At the top of Annabeth’s list of terrifying things she’d seen down there, was when Percy had controlled a tide of poison and suffocated the goddess Akhlys. It made sense, since Percy could control anything with a liquid base, but the act itself was…unnerving. He’d been saving himself and Annabeth from the Death Mist – which apparently was exactly as the name suggested – but Annabeth was afraid of the power that Percy held.

“He seems to be adjusting,” Piper tried helpfully. “He’s smiling more often. You know he cares about you more than ever.”

Annabeth sat, her face suddenly pale. “I don’t know why it’s hitting me so hard all of a sudden. I can’t quite get that memory out of my head…How Percy looked when he was standing at the edge of Chaos.”

“You were afraid he’d go mad.” The Doctor said quietly, more to himself than anyone else. “Drunk on his own power, losing himself in the rage and pain. Losing his grip on sanity – consumed by hatred and anger.”

He met Annabeth’s eyes, they were brimming with tears. She nodded silently, as if it were difficult to do. From the corner of his eye, he could see Piper as well. She was giving him a fascinated look, as if to say: _Why do I feel like you’re not talking about Percy?_

“Percy is strong, Annabeth.” The Doctor promised. “He is strong and more importantly, he is kind. You’ve got to have faith in him.”

“Do you?”

The Doctor didn’t hesitate. “Yes, I do.”

Annabeth gazed at the olive trees. “It’s just…Bob the Titan, he warned me there would be more sacrifices ahead. I want to believe we can have a normal life someday…But I allowed myself to hope for that last summer, after the Titan War. Then Percy disappeared for _months._ Then we fell into that pit…” A tear traced its way down her cheek. “Doctor, if you’d seen the face of the god Tartarus, all swirling darkness, devouring monsters and vapourizing them – I’ve never felt so _helpless_. I try not to think about it…”

“Annabeth, I know you’re scared –”

“gods, I’m terrified.”

“And you’re angry –”

“At Percy for frightening me,” She admitted. “At my mom for sending me on that horrible quest in Rome. At…well, pretty much everybody. Gaea. The giants. The gods for being jerks.”

“At me?”

Annabeth’s gaze was fixed on her feet. “I’m mad at you for not being there when I needed you.”

“I’m so sorry.”

There was a long pause.

“Are you mad at me?” The Doctor had almost forgotten Piper was there too.

“I could never be mad at you.” Annabeth managed a small smile. “And if I was, it would only be for being so annoyingly calm.”

“It’s all a lie.” Piper admitted.

“And for being a good friend.” Annabeth added.

“Ha!”

“And for having your head on straight about guys and relationships and –”

“I actually think the Doctor might be better to ask about that.”

“Oh, _please._ ”

“Oi! I’m very good with guys and relationships!”

Annabeth and Piper both looked at him doubtfully.

“I’ll have you know I’ve been married a number of times!”

“Anyways, we’ve got a quest to finish.” Annabeth said.

“The chained god’s heartbeat can wait.” Piper smiled somewhat successfully. “Whatever happens, I’m your friend. Just…remember that, okay?”

The Doctor frowned. That sounded like a goodbye. She couldn’t be saying goodbye.

Just as he started to say something, a roaring sound came from the ruins. One of the stone-lined pits, spewed out a three-storey geyser of flames and shut off just as quickly.

“What the heck?” Piper asked.

The Doctor gave a mad grin.

Annabeth sighed. “Yes, fine, let’s go take a look.”

“Allons-y!”

Three pits lay side by side, each one perfectly round, a half meter in diameter, tiled around the rim with limestone; each one plunged straight into darkness. Every few seconds, seemingly at random, one of the three pits shot a column of fire into the sky. Each time, the colour and intensity of the flames were different.

“Now, that’s fascinating.” The Doctor walked a wide arc around the pits. “No pattern in timing, colour, height…”

“They weren’t doing this before.” Annabeth observed, “Do you think we activated them somehow?”

“Maybe that surge of fear you felt on the hill…We all felt…”

The Doctor frowned. “Maybe…But there’s no mechanism, no consistency…It’s got to follow some kind of logic…”

He could feel something trying to make its way into the back of his mind. He’d been feeling it since they neared the geysers, but it couldn’t quite get through his defenses. If he could just pinpoint it…

“It isn't rational.” Piper realized. “It’s emotional.”

“What?” The Doctor looked at her.

“How can fire pits be emotional?” Annabeth asked.

Piper held her hand over the pit on the right. Instantly, flames leapt up. Piper barely had enough time to withdraw her fingers.

“Piper!” The Doctor and Annabeth ran over to her.

“What were you _thinking?”_ Annabeth demanded.

“I wasn’t. I was feeling. What we want is down there. These pits are the way in. I’ll have to jump.”

“No, I’ll jump.” The Doctor said.

“You’re both crazy!” Annabeth cried. “Even if you don’t get stuck in the tube, you have no idea how deep it is!”

The Doctor grinned madly. 

“You’ll be burned alive!” She went on.

“Nah. Time Lord skin. I’m not nearly as fragile as you silly humans.” This wasn’t technically a lie. Time Lord skin _was_ stronger than human skin, just not particularly when it came to fire.

“Doctor, I swear –” Annabeth began, but the Doctor cut her off.

“Allons-y!”

The Doctor jumped.

For a moment, he was weightless in the dark, the sides of the hot stone pit burning his arms. Then the space opened up around him and he hit the ground.

He let out an involuntary cry of pain as his wound was aggravated and pain shot up through his body.

Flames shot up right behind him as he scrambled out of the way, searing the back of his legs down to the ankle. From where the fire emanated, he could see the head of a bronze dragon. He pointed his Sonic at him, but it sparked and did nothing.

That was _not_ good.

He barely had time to dive out of the way before another blast of fire exploded out of the dragon.

“Doctor?” Annabeth’s voice echoed from far above.

Swallowing his pride, he called up. “Admittedly, I could use a little help!”

“Of course, you do.”

The Doctor dodged another blast, crying out painfully as his wound was jarred. He hit the wall. He could see three dragon statues stood in a row, aligned with the holes in the roof. They prepared to fire.

Before they could get the chance, Annabeth smoothly hit the ground, rolling forwards and decapitating all three of the dragons with her sword.

The Doctor slid down the wall so that he was sitting on the floor. Black spots were dancing in his eyes as he clutched his wounded gut.

Annabeth stormed over to the Doctor. “That was without a doubt the _dumbest_ risk I’ve seen you take. And that’s seriously saying something!”

The Doctor smiled painfully. “Where’s Piper?”

“I sent her to get some rope so we can climb back up.”

The Doctor nodded in approval as Annabeth kneeled down next to him, ripping off his trenchcoat and pulling up his shirt and suit jacket. The wound was leaking a slow ooze of blood.

“It’s fine.” The Doctor pushed his shirt and jacket back down. “I’m fine.”

Annabeth grabbed his wrist, and he cried out in pain, snatching it back.

“Give me your flashlight.”

“What?”

“Your flashlight. Give it.”

The Doctor reluctantly pulled out his torch. Annabeth pulled up his sleeves to expose the burns that now ran up his arms from halfway down the palm up until just below the elbows.

“So, Mr. _Time Lord skin._ ” Annabeth said. “What have you got to say for yourself?”

“In my defense, I never said _how_ much stronger –”

Just then, a rope dropped from the centre pit and Piper made her way down.

“Woah, are these dragons of Ares?” She asked. “That’s one of his sacred animals, right?”

The Doctor took this opportunity to look around. The chamber itself was round, walls made of rough-hewn stone blocks chiseled with thousands of Greek inscriptions. At the far end of the room, on a stone dais, stod the human-sized bronze statue of a warrior – Ares, the Doctor assumed – with heavy bronze chains wrapped around his body, anchoring him to the floor.

On either side of the statue loomed two dark doorways, three meters high, with a gruesome stone face carved over each archway.

“There’s the chained god himself.” Piper was pointing at the statue. “Where do you think those doorways –”

“Hush.” The Doctor suddenly commanded.

“You don’t have to be rude –” Piper began, but the Doctor shushed her again.

“No, listen. Do you hear that?”

“I don’t hear anything.” Annabeth murmured.

The sound was like a drumbeat with a metallic echo. Thank whatever gods were hanging around that there were only two beats. 

He bounded towards the statue, pulling out his stethoscope and placing it over the chest of the chained god.

“It’s a heartbeat. Coming from inside the statue.” He whispered.

“The heartbeat of the chained god.” Annabeth murmured. “I – I don’t like this. We need to leave.”

The Doctor was inclined to agree. Something here felt unsettling. His entire body was warning him to run.

“The shrine is ramping up our emotions.” Piper realized. “It’s like being around my mom, except this place radiates fear, not love. That’s why you started feeling overwhelmed on the hill. Down here, it’s a thousand times stronger.”

They had made it through his barriers. Without him even noticing. He should’ve noticed. But perhaps when he’d jarred his wound…There’d been a moment of weakness…

“We need a plan to get the statue out.” Annabeth said. “Maybe haul it up with the rope, but –”

“Wait.” Piper glanced at the snarling stone faces above the doorways. “A shrine that radiates fear. Ares had two divine sons, didn’t he?”

“Phobos and Deimos.” The Doctor and Annabeth recited in unison.

“Panic and Fear.” The Doctor said. “Unless I’m mistaken – which let’s be honest, I never am –”

“Well, I wouldn’t say never.” Annabeth murmured.

“I _rarely_ am,” The Doctor corrected, “Those are the faces above the doors.”

“This place isn’t just a shrine to Ares.” Piper aid. “It’s a temple of fear.”

Deep laughter echoed through the chamber.

On the Doctor’s right, a giant appeared. He didn’t come through either doorway, he simply emerged from the darkness as though he’d been camouflaged against the wall.

He was on the smaller side for a giant – perhaps all of seven and a half meters tall. His armour, his skin, and his dragon-scale legs were all the colour of charcoal. Copper wires and smashed circuit boards glittered in the braids of his black hair. In his hands was a massive sledgehammer.

“Very good, child of Aphrodite.” The giant smiled. “This is indeed the Temple of Fear. And I am here to make you believers.”

The Doctor clutched his head as terror assaulted his mind, breaking through his defenses. His worst memories crowded his mind – Susan, her face now fresh in his mind, watching longingly as the TARDIS dematerialized, leaving her to outlive all those around her. Katarina pushing the airlock control to save the Doctor, sending herself into the vacuum of space. Sara, caught in the fields of the Time Destructor. Jamie and Zoe, their minds wiped of him. Adric’s ship crashing and exploding. Peri, forced to be abandoned on Thoros Beta where Lord Kiv replaced her brain with his own. Adam Mitchell, in the Doctor’s rage, left on earth with an implant in his head. Rose, his beautiful wonderful Rose, standing on Dårlig Ulv Stranden, kissing another man. Martha Jones, her family in ruins after the Year That Never Happened. Astrid, sacrificing herself to save the Earth. He saw his beautiful daughter, Jenny, shot right in front of his very eyes. River Song, the mysterious woman who knew his name, saved in that library. Donna, smiling, but not able to remember him, not knowing her own importance in the universe. 

Then, to his horror, he saw Gallifrey. The planet in flames by his hand. He heard the screams and cries. And those children. All those children. Everything was burning. He remembered each and every one of them. Every face, every name. How could he forget? He remembered the pain. The pain that never left. The pain that was embedded in his very soul.

 _“Doctor!”_ Piper’s voice was in his head.

Somehow, he managed to look up, somewhat breaking out of the memories.

Piper was right in front of him, fingers on his temples, just as he always did to look into dreams.

Next to her, was Annabeth, her eyes wide and unfocused.

“Doctor, you have to help me.”

“I –” He choked. The memories were suffocating him. His hands were clutching his head so tightly he feared he might crack it.

Through the haze, he could hear the giant laughing. “What will you do, child of Aphrodite? Defeat me with makeup and fashion tips?” Booming footsteps approached them.

“Come on, Doctor. We’ll get out of this, but we have to go.” Piper insisted.

The Doctor gave a nod, but he was trembling so badly, he wasn’t even sure if Piper saw it.

He tried to stumble to his feet, but his head was further assaulted with memories.

He could feel Piper’s arm scoop underneath him and hoist him into a standing position.

“Come on, Annabeth…” Her voice was fading out, the screams of his people rising in volume.

There was a _BANG!_ But the Doctor wasn’t sure what it was. His vision was filled with images of horrific scenes, flickering through his mind.

“–o plans! Just follow me!” Piper was shouting.

The giant bellowed in outrage and the Doctor could feel himself being dragged and engulfed into total darkness.

“Fools!” The giant roared somewhere behind them. “That is the wrong way!”

“Keep moving, come on!”

The Doctor’s feet were barely under him as he was dragged further down the tunnel.

“We should close our eyes!” Annabeth cried. “It’s just like the Mansion of Night in Tartarus!”

“No!” Piper said. “Keep them open. “We can’t try to hide.”

From somewhere ahead of them, the Doctor could hear the giant’s booming voice. “Lost forever. Swallowed by the darkness.”

The Doctor jolted. Piper, who’d been mostly-carrying him, had stopped since in her other hand, Annabeth had froze.

“Why did we just plunge in?” Annabeth demanded. “We’re lost. We did what he _wanted_ us to! We should have bided our time, talked to the enemy…”

Her voice was fading out again. The Doctor tried so hard to focus on the current moment, but his mind was slipping, turning against itself. His perfect memory now coming back to bite him.

He could hear the giant’s laughter echoing. “Despair, children! I am Mimas, born to slay Hephaestus. I am the breaker of plans, the destroyer of well-oiled machines. Nothing goes right in my presence. Maps are misread. Devices break. Data is lost. The finest minds turn to mush!”

Well, that explained what had happened to the Sonic earlier.

The Doctor closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and drawing himself to his feet.

They nearly gave out on him, but he walked confidently towards the giant. “I’m the Doctor. I’m the Oncoming Storm, the Bringer of Darkness, the Destroyer of Worlds. I’ve fought monsters you could never _dream_ of. I don’t fear you.”

The giant’s face twisted into a smile. “You will.”

The Doctor’s mind was assaulted yet again. He barely even registered his knees buckling as his body hit the floor. Horrific images flashed through his mind. Gallifrey burned before his eyes, children crying out in fear and pain.

“We do!” Piper’s voice managed to break through. “We do fear you! We’re terrified.”

The Doctor could feel himself being grabbed and nearly thrown across the room by Piper’s small hands.

_CRASH!_

Mimas’s hammer had smashed itself right where the Doctor had been moments before. It was then that he noticed that they were back in the circular room – when’d they get there? – where it was significantly lighter.

He could see Piper lunge, driving her blade into the giant’s thigh.

“AROOO!” Mimas released his grip on his hammer and arched his back.

The Doctor scrambled backwards, assisted by Piper, who aggressively dragged him back.

The Doctor, Piper, and Annabeth managed to scramble behind the chained statue of Ares, which still pulsed with a single metallic heartbeat. _Thump thump, thump thump, thump thump._

Mimas turned towards them. The wound on his legs was already closing.

“You cannot defeat me,” He growled. “In the last war, it took _two_ gods to bring me down. I was born to kill Hephaestus, and would have done so if Ares hadn’t ganged up on me as well! You should have stayed paralyzed in your fear. Your death would’ve been quicker.”

Piper moved in front of the statue. The Doctor called out to her to stop, but if she heard him, she didn’t show it.

“This temple,” She said. “The Spartans didn’t chain Ares because they wanted his spirit to stay in their city.”

“You think not?” The giant’s eyes glittered with amusement. He wrapped his hands around his sledgehammer and pulled it from the floor.

“This is the temple of my brothers, Deimos and Phobos.” Piper’s voice shook, but she didn’t bother try to hide it. “The Spartans came here to prepare for battle, to face their fears. Ares was chained to remind them that war has consequences. His power – the spirits of battle, the makhai – should never be unleashed unless you understand how terrible they are, unless you’ve _felt_ fear.”

Mimas laughed. “A child of the love goddess lectures me about war. What do you know of the makhai?”

“We’ll see.” Piper ran directly at the giant, unbalancing his stance. At the sight of her jagged blade coming at him, his eyes widened and he stumbled backwards, cracking his head against the wall. A jagged fissure snaked upwards in the stones. Dust rained down from the ceiling.

Dust spiraled into ash as Gallifrey returned, beautiful red grass ablaze, beautifully architectured buildings that would’ve stunned Annabeth, crashing to the ground, Daleks filling the sky.

“–per, this place is unstable!” He could hear Annabeth’s voice shouting. “If we don’t leave –”

“Don’t think about escape!” Piper shouted. He could see her form moving towards the rope, leaping as high as she could and cutting it.

“Piper, have you lost your mind?” Annabeth cried. 

“That hurt!” Mimas was rubbing his head. “You _realize_ you cannot kill me without the help of a god and Ares is not here! The next time I face that blustering idiot, I will smash him to bits. I wouldn’t have had to fight him in the _first_ place if that cowardly fool Damasen had done his job –”

Annabeth let loose a guttural cry. “Do _not_ insult Damasen!”

She ran at Mimas, who barely managed to parry her blade with the handle of his hammer. He tried to grab at Annabeth and Piper lunged, slashing her balde across the side of the giant’s face.

“GAHHH!” Mimas staggered.

A severed pile of dreadlocks fell to the floor along with something else – a large fleshy mass lying in a pool of golden ichor.

“My ear!” Mimas wailed. Before he could recover his wits, Piper grabbed the Doctor, and the three of them plunged through the second doorway.

“I will bring down this chamber!” The giant thundered. “The Earth Mother shall deliver me, but you shall be crushed!”

The floor shook. The sound of breaking stone echoed all around them.

“Piper, stop,” Annabeth begged. “How – how are you dealing with this? The fear, the anger –”

“Don’t try to control it. That’s what the temple is about. You have to accept the fear, adapt to it, ride it like the rapids on a river.”

That made sense. It really did. But there was just too much in the Doctor’s ancient head. Too much he’d pushed away and tried to forget. It was all too much to accept and adapt.

“How do you _know_ that?” Annabeth was demanding.

“I don’t know it. I just feel it.” Piper shrugged.

Somewhere nearby, a wall crumbled with a sound like an artillery blast.

“You cut the rope,” Annabeth said. “We’re going to die down here!”

“Don’t you understand?” Piper asked. “Fear can’t be reasoned with. Neither can hate. They’re like love. They’re almost _identical_ emotions. That’s why Ares and Aphrodite like each other. Their twin sons – Fear and Panic – were spawned from both war and love.”

It was times like this that the Doctor remembered just how wise Piper was emotionally. She truly understood emotion to its finest detail. She understood it in a way that not even the Doctor may ever be able to understand.

“But I don’t…this doesn’t make sense.” Annabeth insisted.

“No,” Piper agreed. “Stop thinking about it. Just _feel.”_

“I _hate_ that.”

“I know. You can’t plan for feelings. Like with Percy, and your future – you can’t control every contingency. You have to accept that. _Let_ it scare you. Trust that it’ll be okay anyway.”

The Doctor _wanted_ to trust it would be okay. He really did. But his life, his feelings, any mistakes he made because of them, the consequences were not as small as the girls’. If he let fear get to him in every situation, planets would burn – well, more planets, anyways – and people would die. He couldn’t trust it would be okay. It was up to him. Everything was up to him. He couldn’t trust _anything_.

He was suddenly pulled back to his feet – had he been on the ground? – and the Doctor, Piper, and Annabeth found themselves back in the shrine room, right behind the giant Mimas. Both Piper and Annabeth slashed one of his legs and brought him to his knees.

The giant howled. More chunks of stone tumbled from the ceiling.

“Weak mortals!” Mimas struggled to stand. “No plan of yours can defeat me!”

“That’s good,” Piper said. “Because I don’t have a plan.”

Piper deposited the Doctor against the wall and ran towards the statue of Ares. “Annabeth, keep our friend occupied!”

“Oh, he’s occupied!”

“GAHHHHH!”

Piper faced the cruel bronze face of the war god.

“My brothers,” She said, “Sons of Aphrodite…I give you a sacrifice.”

At the feet of Ares, she set her cornucopia.

“I’m terrified,” She confessed. “I hate doing this. But I accept that it’s necessary.”

She swung her blade and decapitated the bronze statue.

“No!” Mimas yelled.

Flames roared up from the statue’s severed neck. They swirled around Piper, filling the room with a firestorm of emotions: of hatred, bloodlust, and fear, but also of love…

Piper held out her arms and the makhai made her the center of the whirlwind.

And then, the flames vanished along with the cornucopia, and the chained statue of Ares crumbled into dust.

“Foolish girl!” Mimas charged her, knocking Annabeth against the opposite wall, her knife skittering the other way, landing at the Doctor’s feet. “The makhai have abandoned you!”

“Or maybe they’ve abandoned _you_ ,” Piper said.

Mimas raised his hammer, but the Doctor had managed to get to his feet, grabbing Annabeth’s dagger and launching it towards the giant. It lodged itself in his thigh and Mimas staggered forwards, off balance. Piper stepped in calmly and stabbed him in the gut.

Mimas crashed face-first into the nearest doorway. He turned over just as the stone face of Panic cracked off the wall above him and toppled down.

The giant’s cry was cut short as his body went still and he disitnegrated into a massive pile of ash.

The Doctor felt a massive weight lift off of him, and his knees would’ve buckled again had Piper not lunged over and caught him.

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” He insisted.

“Right, you’re _so_ fine.”

“Piper, you were amazing!” Annabeth cried, running over. “But those fiery spirits you released –”

“The makhai.” Piper nodded.

“How does that help us find the cure we’re looking for?” Annabeth asked.

“I don’t know. They said I could summon them when the time comes. Maybe Artemis and Apollo can explain –”

A section of the wall caved in like a glacier.

Annabeth nearly slipped on the giant’s severed ear. “We need to get out of here.”

“I’m working on it,” Piper said.

“And, uh, I think this ear is your spoil of war.”

“Gross.”

“Would make a lovely shield.” The Doctor teased.

“Shut up, Time Boy.” Piper smiled. She stared at the second doorway, which still had the face of Fear above it. “Thank you, brothers, for helping to kill the giant. I need one more favour – an escape. And, believe me, I am properly terrified. I offer you this, uh, lovely ear as a sacrifice.”

The stone face made no answer. Another section of the wall peeled away. A starburst of cracks appeared in the ceiling.

Piper grabbed Annabeth’s shoulder. Annabeth was helping the Doctor to stand. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, the wound in his gut was becoming more and more predominant. 

“We’re going through that doorway.” Piper decided. “If this works, we might find ourselves back on the surface.

“And if it doesn’t?” Annabeth asked.

Piper looked up at the face of Fear. “Let’s find out.”

Annabeth smiled at the Doctor. “Allons-y!”

Despite the pain, the Doctor grinned back. “Allons-y!”

The room collapsed around them as they plunged into the darkness.


	7. Lady of Storm and Sea

“So, Mr. Oncoming Storm,” Annabeth said, joining the Doctor on the deck of the  _ Argo II _ . “Not so fearless, are you?”

The Doctor didn’t respond, turning his gaze back to the water.

“Sorry.” Annabeth murmured. “Just, you act so invincible, like you can carry the whole world on your shoulders. But you  _ don’t  _ have to do things alone, Doctor. You said it yourself, we’re your family, you got to let us help you.”

“Annabeth, I’m old – sometimes I think I’m too old – I’ve seen so much…” He looked at the girl. “This is not something I can foist upon you.”

“Show me.” Annabeth insisted, pushing her fingers onto the Doctor’s temples. “Please, I can take it.”

The Doctor looked down at her sadly. “No.”

Annabeth looked away, “I thought you trusted me.”

“Don’t pretend it’s got anything to do with that!”

“I just…I wish you’d let me in, Doctor.”

“You know I can’t.”

“I’m not a child, I can handle it.”

“I know you can.” The Doctor laughed. “Never doubted that for a second.”

“Then why –”

“Because there are some things you  _ shouldn’t _ know.”

“I know about the Time War –”

“Well that’s not the only bad thing I’ve done.” The Doctor said, he sounded less angry and more utterly exhausted. “I know exactly how you feel about Percy because that’s the way I feel about myself. The Time Lord Victorious…”

He let out a gasp of pain as his wound flared up again. He stumbled. Annabeth grabbed his upper arm, careful to avoid the burns as his knees gave out completely.

“Doctor –”

“Fine, I’m fine.”

“Can I at least help with your bandages?”

“No need.”

“Yes need.” Annabeth rolled her eyes. “I can tell it’s getting worse.”

“It’s fine.” The Doctor insisted. “I’m fine.”

Just as he got the words out, his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he promptly passed out.

The Doctor woke up. That on its own was concerning.

As he stumbled to his feet, his legs shook violently and his head spun.

It wasn’t helping that the ship was tilting so violently he pretty much had to climb the floor to get out of his room.

The hull creaked and the engine groaned. Cutting through the roar of the wind, the goddess Nike screamed from the stables: “YOU CAN DO BETTER, STORM! GIVE ME A HUNDRED AND TEN PERCENT!”

The Doctor climbed the stairs to the main deck. The ship pitched to port, knocking him against the opposite wall.

Hazels tumbled out of her cabin, hugging her stomach. “I  _ hate  _ the ocean!”

When she saw him, she cried, “No! I thought Annabeth finally had you resting!”

“I’m fine.”

Hazel looked as though she wanted to argue, but then the ship tilted to starboard and she staggered towards the loo, a hand over her mouth.

The Doctor managed to make it above deck, only to see a skyscraper-sized wave crashing over the forward deck, washing the front crossbows and half the port railing out to sea. The sails were ripped to shreds and lightning flashed all around him, hitting the sea. Horizontal rain blasted his face and the clouds were so dark had he not been a Time Lord, he may not have known whether it was day or night.

The rest of the crew was doing what they could…which wasn’t much.

Leo had lashed himself to the console with a bungee cord harness, which may have seemed like a brilliant idea at the time, but every time a wave hit he was washed away, then smacked back into his control board.

Piper and Annabeth were trying to save the rigging, working together without even talking – which was just as well since they couldn’t have heard each other over the storm had they wanted to.

Jason was standing on the deck, trying desperately not to get washed away as he attempted to redirect the lightning away from the ship.

Frank – at least, the Doctor assumed it was Frank – had turned into a gorilla. He was swinging upside down off the starboard rail, using his massive strength and his flexible feet to hang on whilst he untangled some broken oars. Apparently, the crew were trying to get the ship airborne.

Even Festus was trying to help. He spewed fire at the rain, though that didn’t seem to discourage the storm any.

Only Percy appeared to be having any luck. He stood by the centre mast, his hands extended to maintain balance. Every time the ship tilted, he pushed in the opposite direction and the hull stabilized. He summoned massive fists of water from the ocean to slam into the larger waves before they could reach the deck.

Without Percy, the ship would’ve most definitely capsized already if not smashed to bits.

The moment Percy saw him, his eyes lit up. He ran over to the Doctor, grabbing him and pulling him towards the starboard rail. He grinned.

Percy jumped over the rail, pulling the Doctor down with him.

It was no calmer underwater than it was above.

Percy pulled him through the churning waves and finally the boys landed on a ledge jutting over a deeper abyss.

“Why are we –?” The Doctor began, but Percy cut him off, pointing at the void.

“Wait for it.”

Three seconds later, a shaft of green light swept through the darkness like a spotlight, then disappeared.

“Something’s down there…” The Doctor murmured. “Think that’s what’s making the storm?”

“It’s got to be.” Percy said.

The Doctor grinned, “Down we go.”

“Into the deep.” Percy agreed.

The two boys sank so deep that even the Doctor had difficulty seeing.

Every so often the green searchlight shot upwards and the Doctor and Percy swam straight towards it.

At last, the darkness lessened below them. Soft white luminous patches floated before the Doctor’s eyes. As they got closer, he realized the patches were glowing fields of algae surrounding the ruins of the palace. Silt swirled through empty courtyards with abalone floors. Barnacle-covered Greek columns marched into the gloom. In the centre of the complex rose a citadel, its walls encrusted with pearls, its domed golden roof cracked open like an egg.

They floated through the broken dome and down into the shadows.

“This place seems familiar.” Percy’s voice became somewhat edgy. “Almost like I’ve been here –”

The green spotlight flashed directly below them, nearly blinding the Doctor. When his vision cleared, he saw that they were no longer alone.

Standing before them was a six meter tall woman in a flowing green dress, cinched at the waist with a belt of abalone shells. Her skin was as luminous white as the fields of algae. Her hair swayed and glowed like the tendrils of a jellyfish.

Her face was lovely, if a touch unearthly – which was seriously saying something coming from an alien. Her eyes were too bright, her features too delicate, her smile too cold, as if she’d been studying human smiles and hadn't quite mastered the art. Part of him wondered if she was an alien, disguising themself as a human.

Her hands rested on a disc of polished green metal about two meters in diameter, sitting on a bronze tripod.

The woman turned the disc like a steering wheel. A shaft of green light shot upwards, churning the water, shaking the walls of the old palace. Shards from the domed ceiling broke and tumbled down slowly.

“Well, we’ve found who’s making the storm.” The Doctor observed.

“Indeed you have.” The woman’s voice was melodic – as if she was trying to appeal to the Doctor’s Time Lord ear, but just missing.

“Okay, I’ll bite.” Percy said. “Who are you and what do you want?”

The woman turned towards him. “Why, I am your sister, Perseus Jackson. And I wanted to meet you before you die.”

The Doctor frowned at Percy, as if to silently ask:  _ You know her? _

Percy shrugged.  _ Nope. _

“You don’t look like my mom,” Percy said, “So I’m gonna guess we’re related on the godly side. You a daughter of Poseidon, Miss…uh…?”

The pale lady raked her fingernails against the metal disc, making a screeching sound. “No one knows me,” She sighed. “Why would I assume my  _ own brother  _ would recognize me? I am Kymopoleia!”

Percy looked to the Doctor expectantly. “Er – a sea-nymph, daughter of Poseidon, goddess of violent storm waves, wife of Briares –”

“You’re Briares’s wife?” Percy cried.

“Er –” The Doctor glanced nervously at Kymopoleia. “Reluctantly married off.”

The goddess turned her full attention to the Doctor. She pointed her index finger and traced his outline in the water.

“You’re the Doctor,” She said. “Lord of Time.”

“That’s me.” He said. “I’m a friend of Percy’s.”

Kymopoleia’s eyes narrowed. “So it’s true…these times make for strange friends and unexpected enemies.”

“So…” The Doctor said, “That storm you’re making up there – brilliant, it really is –”

“Thank you.”

“But our ship’s caught in it. It’s sort of being ripped apart. I’m sure you didn’t mean –”

“Oh, yes, I did.”

“You did?” Percy grimaced. “Well…that sucks. I don’t suppose you’d cut it out, then, if we asked nicely?”

“No,” The goddess agreed. “Even now, the ship is close to sinking. I’m rather amazed it’s held together this long. Excellent workmanship.”

“I’ll tell Leo you thought so.” The Doctor said.

“Is there anything we could do to change your mind?” Percy asked hopefully.

Kymopoleia gave a cruel smile. “Brother, do you know where you are?”

“I – I’m not sure.” Percy said. “I recognize this place…”

“This is the original palace of Poseidon.” The Doctor realized. “That’s why we recognized it. It’s got a similar architecture to the one in the Atlantic.”

“I wouldn’t know.” Kymopoleia said sourly. “I am never invited to see my parents. I can only wander the ruins of their  _ old  _ domains. They find my presence…disruptive.”

She spun her wheel again. The entire back wall of the building collapsed, sending a cloud of silt and algae through the chamber.

“My father does not welcome me in his court,” Kymopoleia went on. “He restricts my powers. This storm above? I haven’t had this much fun in ages, yet it is only a small  _ taste  _ of what I can do!”

“A little goes a long way,” The Doctor said, “But back to Percy’s question about changing your mind –”

“My father married me off,” Kymopoleia said, “without my permission. He gave me away like a trophy.”

“I’m sorry your father treated you so poorly,” The Doctor said, “But you don’t have to tear our ship apart!”

“Hey, um, is Briares around by any chance?” Percy asked hopefully.

Kymopoleia laughed. “He’s off at Mount Olympus in New York, shoring up the gods’ defences. Not that it will matter. My point, dear brother, is that Poseidon has never treated me fairly. I like to come here, to his old palace, because it pleases me to see his works in ruins. Someday soon his  _ new  _ palace will look like this one, and the seas will rage unchecked.”

“You’re working with Gaea.” The Doctor said, “You think she’ll make things better, but she won’t. She won’t keep her promises. She’s using you!”

“I am touched by your concern,” said the goddess. “The Olympian gods, on the other hand, have  _ never  _ used me, eh?”

“Well at least the Olympians are trying!” Percy said. “After the last Titan war, they started paying more attention to the other gods. A lot of them have cabins now at Camp Half-Blood: Hecate, Hades, Hebe, Hypnos…We give them offerings at every meal, cool banners, special recognition in the end-of-summer programme –”

“And do  _ I  _ get such offerings?” Kymopoleia asked.

“Well…no. We didn’t know you existed. But –”

“Then save your words, brother.” Kymopoleia’s jellyfish-tentacle hair floated towards him, as if anxious to paralyze new prey. “I have heard so much about the great Percy Jackson. The giants are quite obsessed with capturing you. I must say…I don’t see what the fuss is about.”

“Thanks, sis. But, if you’re going to try to kill me, I gotta warn you it’s been tried before. I’ve faced a lot of goddesses recently – Nike, Akhlys, even Nyx herself. Compared to them, you’re not scaring me. Also, you laugh like a dolphin.”

Kymopoleia’s delicate nostrils flared. “Oh, I won’t kill you. My part of the bargain was simply to get your attention. Someone else is here, though, who very much wants to kill you.”

Above them, at the edge of the broken roof, a dark shape appeared – a figure even taller than Kymopoleia.

“The son of Neptune,” Boomed a deep voice.

The giant floated down. Clouds of dark viscous fluid – poison, perhaps – curled from his blue skin. His green breastplate was fashioned to resemble a cluster of open hungry mouths. In his hands were a trident and a weighted net.

It was a face the Doctor had hoped he wouldn’t have to see again. “Polybotes,” He said.

The giant shook his dreadlocks. A dozen serpents swam free.

“Doctor,” The giant said. “Not to worry, I will deal with you once I kill Perseus Jackson. I tracked him all the way across Tartarus. Now, here in his father’s ruins, I mean to crush him once and for all.”


	8. Promises and Prophecies

Fortunately for Percy and Doctor, the fire-breathing basilisks were underwater. Unfortunately, for the two boys, that didn’t make them any less deadly.

Two serpents shot towards Percy. He sliced them in half. The other ten swirled around him, just out of his blade’s reach. They writhed back and forth in a hypnotic pattern, looking for an opening. One bite. One touch was all it would take.

“Oi!” The Doctor shouted. “Over here! Come get me!”

The snakes ignored him.

As did the giant, who stood back and watched with a smug smile.

“Kymopoleia,” The Doctor tried, “You have to stop this.”

She regarded him with glowing white eyes. “Why would I do that? The Earth Mother has promised me unrestricted power. Could you make me a better offer?”

“Yes,” The Doctor promised. “Whatever it is you want, I can help you.”

“Can you?” Kymopoleia scoffed. “Look at you, weakened and pathetic, what could you possibly do?”

From the corner of his eyes, the Doctor could see Percy slice the last serpent in half. He raised his sword, hurling himself at the giant, but Polybotes swept his hand through the water, leaving an arc of a black oily substance.

“Percy!” The Doctor shouted, but it was much too late. The boy ran directly into the smudge in the water.

Percy dropped Riptide. He gasped, clawing at his throat. The giant threw his weighted net and Percy collapsed to the ground, hopelessly entangled as the poison thickened around him.

“Let him go!” The Doctor demanded.

The giant chuckled. “Worry not, your friend will take a  _ long  _ time to die. After all the trouble he’s caused me, I wouldn’t dream of killing him quickly.”

Noxious clouds expanded around the giant, filling the ruins like thick smoke. The Doctor scrambled backwards – not quite fast enough, but he had his respiratory bypass. But as it was, the bubble of air Percy had placed around him was starting to wain. He could feel his clothes slowly dampen as water leaked in.

Kymopoleia wrinkled her nose and waved away the darkness, but otherwise it didn’t seem to affect her.

Percy writhed in the net, his face turning green. The Doctor tried to swim over to help him, but the giant blocked his path with his massive trident.

“Oh, I can’t let you ruin my fun,” Polybotes chided. “The poison will kill him eventually, but first come the paralysis and hours of excruciating pain. I want him to have the full experience! He can watch as I destroy you!”

Polybotes advanced slowly, giving the Doctor plenty of time to dodge the trident and use a convenient stone sticking out from the ruins to push off and propel himself forwards, away from the giant.

“Kymopoleia, after Gaea wipes out human civilization, what then?” The Doctor demanded. “This is not what you want! You’ll still be unknown – No one will be left to remember you! And if no one can remember you, who will be there to fear you?”

Polybotes turned. “You are a pest, Doctor! You will be crushed!”

The Doctor managed to avoid the prongs of the trident again, but the giant swung the other end around and smacked him in the chest.

He cried out in pain, reeling back. Polybotes came back in for the kill, but the Doctor managed to push off the floor and glide sideways across the courtyard.

“Actually,” Kymopoleia said, studying her fingernails, “Now that you mention it, I  _ do  _ enjoy being feared by mortals. I am not feared enough.”

“I can help you,” The Doctor promised, dodging another swipe of the trident. “The gods depend on mortals. The more they honour you, the more powerful you get.”

“I wouldn’t know. I’ve never been honoured!”

“That’s what I’m saying!” The Doctor said. “I can change that. I can personally ensure you get a shrine. In Rome _and_ Camp Half-Blood.”

“I’ve never had a Roman shrine before…”

“Imagine, you’ll be honoured –”

“And feared.”

“– and feared by both Greeks and Romans!”

“STOP TALKING!” Polybotes swung his trident. The Doctor ducked, though Kymopoleia did not. The giant slammed her in the ribcage so hard that strands of her jellyfish hair came loose and drifted through the poisoned water.

Polybotes’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry, Kymopoleia. You shouldn't have been in the way!”

“IN THE WAY?” The goddess straightened. “I am  _ in the way?” _

“You heard him.” The Doctor said smugly. “They’ll cast you aside the moment they’re through destroying mortals. Then you’ll have nothing left – no demigods, no shrines, no fear, no respect.”

“LIES!” Polybotes tried to stab him, but the Doctor dodged, propelling himself off the floor to Percy’s side. “Kymopoleia, when Gaea rules, you will rage and storm without restraint!”

‘Will there be mortals to terrorize?” Kymopoleia asked.

“Well…no.”

“Ships to destroy? Demigods to cower in awe?”

“Um…”

“Help me,” The Doctor begged. “Release Percy and together a goddess and a demigod can destroy a giant.”

“No!” Polybotes suddenly looked incredibly nervous. “No, that’s a terrible idea. Gaea will be most displeased!”

_ “If  _ Gaea wakes,” The Doctor pointed out. “And the mighty Kymopoleia can help ensure that never happens. Then all demigods will not only honour you, but cower in terror at your greatness.”

“Hmm…”

“And you’ll have a custom-designer banner,” He went on, trying to sweeten the deal. “A cabin at Camp Half-Blood –”

“What about bobble heads?” She asked.

“Absolutely!” The Doctor agreed. “And an action figure!”

“No!” Polybotes wailed. “Not merchandising rights!”

Kymopoleia turned on the giant. “I’m afraid that deal beats what Gaea has offered.”

“Unacceptable!” The giant bellowed as Kymopoleia waved her hand, releasing Percy from the net. “You cannot trust this vile creature!”

“Well, if I don’t honour the bragin, you can always kill me then.” The Doctor shrugged.

“That,” Kymopoleia said, “is difficult to argue with.”

Percy was still trembling and pale, looking quite sickly, but he had a determined gleam in his eye.

As Polybotes struggled to answer, Percy (with the assistance of the Doctor) charged forwards, stabbing Riptide into the giant’s gut.

Kymopoleia lifted her bronze disc from its pedestal. “Say goodbye, Polybotes.”

She spun the disc at the giant’s neck.

Polybotes found it difficult to say goodbye now that he didn’t have a head.

“Poison is a nasty habit.” Kymopoleia waved her hand and the murky clouds dissipated. “Secondhand poison can kill a person, you know.”

“Really? I wouldn’t have guessed.” The Doctor murmured as he propped the now completely exhausted and sickly Percy against the temple wall. “You ‘right?”

“I’m still a little fuzzy.” He admitted. “Did you promise her a bobble head?”

“And an action figure.” Kymopoleia loomed over them. “And I expect you to deliver.”

“You’ve got my word.” The Doctor said. “When this war is done, we’ll ensure  _ all  _ the gods are recognized. Percy started that process last summer.” The Doctor looked down at the boy, still sounding as though he was having an asthma attack. “He’s made the Olympians promise to pay you lot more attention.”

Kymopoleia sniffed. “We know what an Olympian promise is worth.”

“Which is why we’re going to finish the job.” Percy coughed out.

“None of the gods will be forgotten at either camp.” The Doctor promised. “They may get temples or cabins, or at the very least shrines –”

“Or collectible trading cards,” Kymopoleia suggested.

“Right, maybe.” The Doctor said, “But I’ll go between camps. Ensure the job is done.”

Percy whistled. “You’re talking about dozens of gods.”

“Hundreds.” Kymopoleia corrected.

“Well I’ve got thousands of years.” The Doctor said.

“I’m sorry I won’t see you die.” Kymopoleia said, stroking her hair.

“Um, so about our ship –” Percy cut in.

“Still in one piece,” said the goddess. “Not in very good shape, but you should be able to make it to Delos.”

“Thank you.” The Doctor said.

“Yeah,” Percy said. “And really, your husband Briares is a good dude. You should give him a chance.”

The goddess picked up her bronze disc. “Don’t push your luck, brother. Briares has fifty faces; all of them are ugly. He’s got a hundred hands, and he’s  _ still  _ all thumbs around the house.”

“Okay,” Percy relented. “Not pushing my luck.”

Kymopoleia turned over the disc, revealing the straps on the bottom side like a shield. She slipped it over her shoulders. “I will be watching your progress. And I warn you, Perseus Jackson, Polybotes was not boasting when he warned you that your blood would awaken the Earth Mother. The giants are very confident of this.”

“My blood, personally?” Percy asked.

“I am not an Oracle, but I hear whispers of the sea. You will face a sacrifice that you may not be able to make, and it will cost you the world. You have yet to face your fatal flaw, my brother. Look around. All works of gods and men eventually turn to ruins. Would it not be easier to flee into the depths with that girlfriend of yours?”

Percy put his hand on the Doctor’s shoulder and the Time Lord helped him to his feet. “Juno offered me a choice like that, back when I found Camp Jupiter. I’ll give you the same answer. I don’t run when my friends need me.”

Kymopoleia turned up her palms. “And there is your flaw: being unable to step away. I will retreat to the depths and watch this battle unfold. You should know that the forces of the ocean are at war. Your friend Hazel Levesque made quite an impression on the murpeople and on their mentors, Aphros and Bythos.”

“The fish pony dude,” Percy muttered. “They didn’t want to meet me.”

“Even now they are waging war for your sake,” Kymopoleia said, “Trying to keep Gaea’s allies away from Long Island. Whether or not they will survive…that remains to be seen. As for you, Doctor, I cannot see your path so clearly. But I sense you shall experience a great loss – as you most always do.”

“Brilliant, thanks for that.” The Doctor grumbled. “Got any other brilliant words of wisdom?”

“You are very welcome.” Kymopoleia said, not quite sensing his sarcasm. “As for advice; a primordial god has been defeated once before. I assume you know of whom I speak?”

“Ouranos,” The Doctor recalled. “He lorded over the sky.”

“Yes,” Kymopoleia’s features took on an expression that almost resembled sympathy. “Let us hope it does not come to that. If Gaea does wake…”

The Doctor nodded. “Thank you.”

“Farewell young heroes,” Kymopoleia said. “And may the Fates smile upon you…assuming the Fates survive.”

They needed to get out. Not only was the Doctor’s respiratory bypass running seriously short on air, but he was now completely soaked to the bone, the bubble around him gone.

But Percy was still woozy from all the poison, so they sat on the edge of the ruined golden dome for a few minutes.

“Thanks, Doctor.” Percy said. “You saved my butt back there.”

The Doctor gave a thumbs up.

“Oh, shoot, sorry man.”

The Doctor felt the bubble return around him and fresh air fill his lungs.

“How’re you feeling?” He asked.

“Better. I …I have to admit, when I was choking on that poison, I kept thinking about Akhlys, the misery goddess in Tartarus. I almost destroyed her with poison.” He shivered. “It felt  _ good _ , but in a bad way. If Annabeth hadn’t stopped me –”

“I know exactly how you feel, Percy.” The Doctor said quietly. “And I mean  _ exactly. _ ”

“You can’t…Not exactly…” Percy admitted. “The feeling it’s –”

“It’s the feeling of ultimate power, it’s intoxicating. You feel like a god, like you can hold the universe at your fingertips and nothing and no one can stop you.”

Percy froze.

The Doctor tried for a smile, though he was aware it was hollow and empty. “But you had Annabeth. She stopped you, she –”

“What would’ve happened had she not?” Percy asked suddenly. Then, slower, “What happened to you?”

“Nothing.” The Doctor said quickly. “Nothing happened. I was stopped too. Donna – my mate – no, not mate, – companion, Donna. She…She got me to stop.”

Percy nodded silently. “It’s just…When I was choking back there, I kept thinking: This is payback for Akhlys. The Fates are letting me die the same way I tried to kill that goddess. And…honestly, a part of me felt like I deserved it. That’s why I didn’t try to control the giant’s poison and move it away from me. That probably sounds crazy.”

“No, it’s not.” The Doctor assured him. “Not at all.”

“Have you?” The Doctor couldn’t meet the boy’s eyes, which was likely as much confirmation as he needed.

Thankfully, when the Doctor didn’t respond, Percy decided to change the subject. “What did she mean about defeating Gaea? You mentioned Ouranos…”

“Ouranos was lord of the skies – a primordial god, who was killed by his children, the Titans. They called him down to earth, getting him away from his home territory, before ambushing him, holding him down as they cut him up.”

Percy looked somewhat disgusted. “How would we do that with Gaea?”

He hesitated. The Doctor recalled the line from the prophecy:  _ to storm or fire the world must fall.  _ He had an idea of what it meant now. He would have to talk to Jason about it. Percy may unintentionally make things more difficult. 

“Let’s get to Delos first.” The Doctor avoided. “Artemis may have some advice. And who knows, maybe Apollo will give us a haiku to ‘inspire’ our journey.”

Percy laughed. “Oh, gods, I might have prefered to go back to Tartarus.”

His laughing abruptly stopped as his eyes drifted to the Doctor’s midsection.

The Doctor looked down. A red haze was slowly surrounding him.

“That’s not particularly good.” He murmured, before the adrenaline that had been steadily fading away seemed to evaporate completely with the realization of the extent of his injury and finally abandoned him completely. The Doctor’s eyes rolled into the back of his head and the world went dark.


	9. The Twins of Delos

The Doctor didn’t awaken for three days, and once he did, he felt no better rested than he had day one.

The  _ Argo II  _ had finally made port at the island of Mykonos, and Percy and Annabeth had gone ashore to scout. The Doctor had tried to insist he accompany them, but Annabeth managed to convince him to stay back and help Leo repair the ship.

In fact, the Doctor and Leo had been so engrossed in wiring that they didn’t even notice the landing party return until Percy said, “Hey guys, gelato?”

Soon, the whole crew sat on deck, without a storm or monster attack to worry about for the first time isn days, as they ate ice cream – well, all except Frank, who was lactose intolerant and instead settled for an apple.

The day was hot and windy. The sea glittered with chop, but Leo had fixed the stabilizers (Well, the Sonic did most of it) so that Hazel didn’t appear too seasick.

Curving off to their starboard side was the town of Mykonos – a collection of white stucco buildings with blue roofs, blue windows, and blue doors.

“Looks like your kind of place.” The Doctor commented to Percy, who grinned.

“We saw these pelicans walking around town, like, just going through the shops, stopping at the bars.”

Hazel frowned. “Monsters in disguise?”

“No,” Annabeth said, laughing, “Just regular old pelicans. They’re the town mascots or something. And there’s a ‘Little Italy’ section of town. That’s why the gelato is so good.”

“Europe is messed up.” Leo shook his head. “First we go to Rome for Spanish steps. Then we go to Greece for Italian ice cream.”

“I know some brilliant Irish pubs in Cardiff,” The Doctor said. Jack had taken him to more than a few.

“Cardiff?” Leo asked, “Is that like, a planet somewhere…?”

“No, Leo,” Annabeth sighed. “Cardiff is the capital of Wales.”

“Oh, like England.”

“No, it’s not in England.”

“Wait, I thought Ireland  _ was  _ in England.”

The Doctor was  _ incredibly  _ close to throwing either Leo, or himself overboard.

“So the Island of Delos.” Piper cut in. “It’s right across the harbour. Who’s going?”

“I –” The Doctor began, but Annabeth cut him off.

“No, there’s now way you’re going.”

“I’ve rested all morning!”

“No, you’ve not! You’ve been helping Leo!”

“I know Artemis better than anyone here,” The Doctor said. “And I’m feeling better –”

“You were unconscious for three days!” Annabeth protested.

“I hate to say it,” Jason said, “But I agree with the Doctor. If he knows Artemis that well –”

“I’ll go too!” Leo said eagerly.

“Leo,” The Doctor said suspiciously. “Did you have a dream?”

“Yes,” He blurted, “Well…no. Not exactly. But…you got to trust me on this, guys. I need to talk to Apollo and Artemis. I’ve got an idea I need to bounce off them.”

The Doctor frowned. Annabeth looked as though she wanted to argue, but Jason spoke up.

“If Leo has an idea, we need to trust him.”

Leo mustered a smile, but there was something behind his eyes…something guilty and reluctant. “Thanks, man.”

Percy shrugged. “Okay. But a word of advice: when you see Apollo –”

“Don’t mention haiku.” The Doctor finished for him, shuddering. “Trust me, I remember.”

“Not something that’s easy to forget.” Percy agreed grimly.

“Wait,” Hazel said, knitting her eyebrows. “Why not? Isn’t he the god of poetry?”

“Just trust us.” Percy said.

“Well, you guys shouldn’t go alone.” Frank decided. “I’ll come with you.”

“And me.” Hazel agreed, wrapping her arms around one of Frank’s.

“Right, then let’s go, guys,” Leo said, “If they have a souvenir shop on Delos, I’m totally bringing you back some Apollo and Artemis bobbleheads!”

Apollo didn’t seem to be in the mood for haiku.

Frank had turned into a giant eagle to fly to Delos, but the Doctor and Leo hitched a ride with Hazel on Arion’s back. They had found the island deserted, perhaps because the seas were too choppy for tourist boats. The windswept hills were barren apart from rocks, grass, wildflowers – and, of course, a number of crumbling temples.

They walked down an avenue lined with white stone lions, the faces weathered almost featureless.

“It’s eerie.” Hazel said.

“You sense any ghosts?” Frank asked.

She shook her head. “The  _ lack  _ of ghosts is eerie. Back in ancient times, Delos was sacred ground. No mortal was allowed to be born here or die here. There are literally  _ no  _ mortal spirits on this whole island.”

“Cool with me,” Leo said. “Does that mean nobody’s allowed to kill us here?”

“Wouldn’t that be nice.” The Doctor murmured.

“Look down there.” Hazel said, stopping at the summit of a low hill.

Below them, the hillside had been carved into an amphitheatre. Scrubby plants sprouted between the rows of stone benches. Down at the bottom, sitting on a block of stone in the middle of the stage, the god Apollo hunched over a ukulele, plucking out a mournful tune.”

At least, the Doctor assumed it was Apollo. He looked about seventeen, with curly blonde hair and a tan. He wore tattered jeans, a black T-shirt, and a white linen jacket with glittering rhinestone lapels.

The strumming of Apollo’s ukulele was so melancholy, it broke the Doctor’s hearts.

Sitting in the front row was a young girl, about the age of thirteen, wearing black leggings and a silver tunic, her hair pulled back in a ponytail. She was whittling on a long piece of wood – making a bow.

“Those are the gods?” Frank asked. “They don’t look like twins.”

“Well, think about it,” Hazel said. “If you’re a god, you can look like whatever you want. If you had a twin –”

“I’d choose to look like anything  _ but  _ my sibling.” Frank agreed. “So what’s the plan?”

“Artemis!” The Doctor called out, making his way down to the stage.

Neither god looked all that surprised to see them.

Apollo sighed and returned his attention to playing his ukulele.

When the crew got to the first row, Artemis muttered. “There you are. We were beginning to wonder.”

The Doctor frowned, looking from one god to the other. “What’s going on? What’s wrong?”

Apollo plucked a tune that sounded suspiciously like a sad, mournful version of ‘Camptown Races’. “We were expecting to be found, bothered and tormented. We didn’t know by whom. Can you not leave us to our misery?”

“Ignore my brother.” Artemis sighed.

“I always do.”

The smallest hint of a smile made its way onto the goddess’s face.

“So why are you here?” The Doctor asked. “Hiding doesn’t seem like you.”

“Delos is our birthplace,” Artemis said. “Here we are unaffected by the Greek-Roman schism. Believe me, Doctor, if I could, I would be with my hunters, facing our old enemy Orion. Unfortunately, if I stepped off this island, I would become incapiacitated with pain. All I can do is watch helplessly while Orion slaughters my followers. Many gave their lives to protect your friends and that accursed Athena statue.”

The Doctor perked up. “Nico, Reyna, and the coach? Are they all right?”

_ “All right?”  _ Apollo sobbed over his ukulele.  _ “None  _ of us are all right! Gaea is rising!”

It was so strange to see Apollo like this. The usually so happy and careless god was now mournful and dampened – though still as dramatic as ever.

Artemis glared at Apollo. “Your son is still alive.”

“Oh – er, he’s not my son…”

“Isn’t he?”

“Well, no he’s son of Hades and –”

“That’s not what I mean and you know it.” Artemis snapped. “Don’t make me shoot you again.”

“You’re welcome to try.”

Artemis scoffed. “You say that like I missed! We had to lug your unconscious glowing body around with us for a week!”

Frank looked at the Doctor. “Yeah, that sounds about right.”

_ “Hey!” _

“You never answered his question.” Hazel said anxiously. “Nico, is he okay?”

“Your brother is still alive.” Artemis promised. “He is a brave fighter. I wish I could say the same for  _ my  _ brother.” She glared at Apollo.

“You wronged me!” Apollo wailed. “I was misled by Gaea and that horrible Roman child!”

“Uh, Lord Apollo, you mean Octavian?” Frank asked.

“Do not speak his name!” Apollo strummed a minor chord. “Oh, Frank Zhang, if only you were my child. I heard your prayers, you know, all those weeks you wanted to be claimed. But alas! Mars gets all the good ones. I get… _ that creature  _ as my descendant. He filled my head with compliments. He told me of the great temples he would build in my honour.”

Artemis snorted. “You are easily flattered, brother.”

“Because I have so many amazing qualities to praise! Octavian said he wanted to make the Romans strong again. I said fine! I gave him my blessing.”

“As I recall,” said Artmeis, “he also promised to make you the most important god of the legion, above even Zeus.”

“Well, who was I to argue with an offer like that? Does Zeus have a perfect tan? Can  _ he  _ play the ukulele? I think not! But I  _ never  _ thought Octavian would start a war! Gaea must have been clouding my thoughts, whispering in my ear.”

“Can’t you tell him to stand down?” The Doctor asked.

“Or you can shoot him with one of your arrows,” Leo suggested, a little too enthusiastically. “That would be fine, too.”

“I can’t!” Apollo wailed. “Look!”

His ukulele turned into a bow. He aimed at the sky and shot. The golden arrow sailed about sixty meters, then disintegrated into smoke.

“To shoot my bow, I would have to step off Delos,” Apollo cried. “Then I would be incapacitated, or Zeus would strike me down. Father never liked me. He hasn’t trusted me for millennia!”

“Well,” Artemis said, “To be fair, there was that time you conspired with Hera to overthrow him.”

“That was a misunderstanding!”

“And you killed some of Zeus’s Cyclopes.”

“I had a good reason for that! At any rate, now Zeus blames me for  _ everything  _ – Octavian’s schemes, the fall of Delphi –”

“The fall of Delphi?” The Doctor asked.

Apollo’s bow turned back into a ukulele. He plucked a dramatic chord. “When the schism began between Greek and Roman, while I struggled with confusion, Gaea took advantage! She raised my own enemy Python, the great serpent, to repossess the Delphic Oracle. That horrible creature is now coiled in the ancient caverns, blocking the magic of prophecy. I am stuck here, so I can’t even fight him.”

“Bummer.” Leo said, though he didn’t sound all that disappointed.

“Bummer indeed!” Apollo sighed. “Zeus was  _ already  _ angry with me for appointing that new girl, Rachel Dare, as my Oracle. Zeus seems to think I  _ hastened  _ the war with Gaea by doing so, since Rachel issued the Prophecy of Seven as soon as I blessed her. But prophecy doesn’t work that way! Father just needed someone to blame. So of course he picked the handsomest, most talented, hopelessly awesome god.”

Artemis made a gagging gesture.

“Oh, stop it, sister!” Apollo said. “You’re in trouble, too!”

“Only because I stayed in touch with my Hunters against Zeus’s wishes,” Artemis said. “But I can always charm Father into forgiving me. He’s never been able to stay mad at me. It’s  _ you  _ I’m worried about.”

“I’m worried about me, too!” Apollo agreed. “We have to do something. We can’t kill Octavian. Hmm. Perhaps we should kill  _ these  _ demigods.”

“Woah there, Music Man.” Leo said quickly. “We’re on your side, remember? Why would you kill us?”

“It might make me feel better!” Apollo said. “I have to do something!”

“Or,” Leo said quickly, “you could help us. See, we’ve got this plan…”

Leo explained how Hera had directed them to Delos, and how Nike had described the ingredients for the physician’s cure.

“The physician’s cure?” Apollo stood and smashed his ukulele on the stones. “That's your plan?”

“Look,” The Doctor subtly stood in front of Leo. “If you’ve got a better plan –”

“I cannot help you!” Apollo cried. “If I told you the secret of the physician’s cure, Zeus would  _ never  _ forgive me!”

“I hold thousands of secrets of the universe,” The Doctor said. “Yours would be safe.”

“And you’re already in trouble,” Leo pointed out. “How could it get worse?”

Apollo glared at Leo. “If you knew what my father is capable of, mortal, you would not ask. It would be simpler if I just smote you all. That might please Zeus –”

“Brother…” Artemis sighed.

The twins locked eyes and had a silent argument. As always, Artemis won. Apollo heaved a sigh and kicked his broken ukulele across the stage.

Artemis rose. “Hazel Levesque, Frank Zhang, come with me. There are things you should know about the Twelfth Legion. Doctor,” She looked at him hopefully. “See if you and Leo Valdez can strike a deal. You know my brother likes a bargain.”

Frank and Hazel both glanced at the Doctor and Leo, as if to say,  _ Please don’t die. _ They then followed Artemis up the steps of the amphitheatre and over the crest of the hill.

“Well?” Apollo folded his arms. His eyes glowed with golden light. “Let us bargain, then. What can you offer that would convince me to help you rather than kill you?”

“A bargain.” The Doctor hummed thoughtfully, but it was Leo who spoke up next.

“Zeus is already P.O.’ed at you, right?” He asked, “If you help us defeat Gaea, you could make it up to him.” They boy’s hands were working furiously, assembling some bit of machinery in his hands.

Apollo wrinkled his nose. “I suppose that’s possible. But it would be easier to smite you.”

“Sure, you  _ could,” _ The Doctor said, “But what good would that do? What kind of ballad would that make?”

“Yeah,” Leo piped up. “Would you listen to a song called, ‘Apollo Smites some Runty Little Demigods’? I wouldn’t. But ‘Apollo Defeats the Earth Mother and Saves the Freaking Universe’… _ that  _ sounds like a Billboard chart-topper!”

Apollo gazed into the air, as if envisioning his name on a marquee. “What do you want exactly? And what do I get out of it?”

“The first thing I –  _ we  _ need is some advice.” He looked nervously at the Doctor whilst he strung some wires across the mouth of the funnel in his hands. “I want to know if a plan of mine will work.”

Leo looked at the Doctor again, his eyes begging him to leave.

“Right, I’ll just…go…” Despite himself, he looked somewhat hurt that Leo didn’t trust him with this. 

The Doctor wandered the amphitheatre, trying to ignore the pain in his gut that flared up every time he took a step. Whatever Leo was planning…it must be dangerous. Dangerous enough not to want the Doctor to know. Dangerous enough that he was afraid he may not come back…

Leo finally gave a thumbs up, and as the Doctor made his way back down towards his friend and the god, he heard Apollo’s voice say. “What is that you have made?”

Leo looked down at the contraption in his hands. Layers of copper wires, like multiple sets of guitar strings, criss-crossed inside the funnel. Rows of striking pins were controlled by levers on the outside of the cone, which was fixed to a square metal base with a number of crank handles.

The Time Lord had absolutely no idea what it was Leo had just created.

“Oh, this…?” The Doctor could almost see the gears turning in Leo’s mind. Then, the boy’s eyes lit up. “Well, you see,” He said confidently, “This is quite simply the most amazing instrument ever!”

The Doctor frowned. This could be interesting.

“How does it work?” Apollo inquired.

Leo turned the crank handles. A few clear tones rang out – metallic yet warm. The boy manipulated the levers and gears. Though he didn’t recognize the song to sprang forth, the Doctor could hear the melancholy longing in the melody, wistful and yearning. Through the strings of the brass cone, the tune sounded sad and mournful, like the cry of someone with broken hearts.

Leo seemed to forget that anyone else was there. His eyes welled with tears and were glassy, like he was in another place entirely.

As the music strummed to a stop, Apollo stared in awe at the instrument. “I must have it. What is it called? What do you want for it?”

Leo’s arms instinctively jutted backwards, as if he suddenly wanted to keep the instrument to himself. But he swallowed and relaxed his arms again.

“This is the Valdezinator, of course!” He puffed out his chest. “It works by, um, transplanting your feelings into music as you manipulate the gears. It’s really meant for me, a child of Hephaestus, to use, though. I don’t know if you could –”

“I am the god of music!” Apollo cried. “I can  _ certainly  _ master the Valdezinator. I must! It is my duty!”

“So let’s wheel the deal, Music Man,” Leo said, seemingly regaining his composure. “I give you this; you give us the physician’s cure.”

“Oh…” Apollo bit his lip. “Well, I don’t actually  _ have  _ the physician’s cure.”

“I thought you were the god of medicine.” Leo protested.

“He’s a god of many things – Like Hermes. Poetry, music, sun, light, archery, plague…”

“The Delphic Oracle!” Apollo sobbed.

“But Asclepius is the god of healers.”

“My son.” Apollo said proudly. “He’s the only one who has ever successfully cured death.”

“That’s a shame, Apollo.” Leo sighed sympathetically. “I was hoping we could make a deal.” He turned the levers on his Valdezinator, coaxing out an even sadder tune.

“Stop!” Apollo wailed. “It’s too beautiful! I’ll give you directions to Asclepius. He’s really very close!”

“And he’ll help us?” The Doctor asked.

Apollo nodded eagerly. “My son is  _ very  _ helpful. Just plead with him in my name. You’ll find him at his old temple in Epidaurus.”

“And the catch?” Leo asked.

“Ah…well, nothing. Except, of course, he’s guarded.”

“And what’s he guarded by?” The Doctor asked.

“I don’t know!” Apollo spread his hands helplessly. “I only know Zeus is keeping Asclepius under guard so he doesn’t go running around the world resurrecting people. The first time Asclepius raised the dead…well, he caused quite an uproar. It’s a long story. But I’m  _ sure  _ you can convince him to help.”

“Well that’s not a very fair deal, is it?” The Doctor pointed out. “We give you the Valdezinator and you suggest someone who  _ might  _ be able to help.”

“What about the last ingredient?” Leo asked. “The curse of Delos. What is it?”

Apollo eyed the Valdezinator greedily.

“I can give the last ingredient to you,” Apollo said, “Then you’ll have everything you need for Asclepius to brew the potion.”

Leo played another verse. “I dunno. Trading this beautiful Valdezinator for some Delos curse –”

“It’s not actually a curse! Look…” Apollo sprinted to the nearest patch of wildflowers and picked a yellow one from a crack between the stones.  _ “This  _ is the curse of Delos.”

“A cursed daisy?” Leo asked doubtfully.

Apollo sighed in exasperation. “That’s just a nickname. When my mother, Leto, was ready to give birth to Artemis and me, Hera was angry, because Zeus had cheated on her again. So she went around to every single landmass on earth. She –”

“– made the nature spirits in each place promise to turn her away so she couldn’t give birth anywhere.” The Doctor remembered. “But back then, Delos was a floating island – it wasn’t technically land.”

“Indeed.” Apollo nodded. “The nature spirits of Delos welcomed my mother. She gave birth to my sister and me, and the island was so happy to be our new sacred home it covered itself in these little yellow flowers. The flowers are a blessing because we’re awesome. But they also symbolize a curse, because once we were born, Delos got rooted in place and wasn’t able to drift around the sea any more. That’s why yellow daisies are called the curse of Delos.”

“Wait, so we could’ve just picked a daisy ourselves and walked away?” Leo asked.

“No, no!” Apollo said. “Not for the portion you have in mind. The flower would have to be picked by either my sister or me. So what do you say, demigod? Directions to Ascliepius and your last magical ingredient in exchange for the new musical instrument – do we have a deal?”

Leo looked reluctantly at the Valdezinator. “You drive a hard bargain, Music Man.”

They made the trade.

“Excellent!” Apollo turned the levers of the Valdezinator, which made a sound like an automobile engine on a cold morning. “Hmm…perhaps it’ll take some practice, but I’ll get it! Now let us find your friends. The sooner you leave, the better!”

Hazel and Frank were waiting at the Delos dock alongside Artemis.

“Good luck, Doctor.” She bid him. “Try not to get killed before I see you next.”

“Oh, it’ll take more than a little Earth squabble to get rid of me.” The Doctor smirked back.

“I certainly hope so.” A slight smile appeared on Artemis’s face, and something glittered in her eyes – something akin to hope. As if perhaps she believed that perhaps the world wasn’t ending just yet.

Then, within the blink of an eye, the goddess was gone. The Doctor glanced behind him and noticed that Apollo, too, had disappeared.

“Man,” Leo muttered, seeming to notice this too, “He was really anxious to practice his Valdezinator.”

“His  _ what?”  _ Hazel asked.

Leo and the Doctor explained what had happened with Apollo, and Leo’s new hobby as an inventor of musical funnels.

Frank scratched his head. “And in exchange, you got a daisy?”

“It’s the final ingredient to cure death, Zhang.” Leo said defensively. “It’s a super daisy!”

“What about you lot?” The Doctor asked. “Artemis tell you anything?”

“Unfortunately, yes.” Hazel gazed across the water to where the  _ Argo II  _ bobbed at anchor. “Artemis knows a lot about missile weapons. She told us Octavian has ordered some… _ surprises _ for Camp Half-Blood. He’s used most of the legion’s treasure to purchase Cyclopes-built onagers.”

“Oh, no, not onagers!” Leo said. “Also, what’s an onager?”

Frank scowled. “You build machines. How can you not know what an onager is?”

“It’s a massive catapult that the Roman army used.”

“I used one once.” The Doctor said.

_ “You?”  _ Frank asked doubtfully. “I thought you hated violence.”

“I do.” The Doctor frowned, as if unsure as to what he was implying.

“Then why’d you use –”

“Well, I was being chased by the Roman army, see, and my TARDIS was only a hundred thirty meters south, so…” He shrugged.

Frank stared at him, his mouth agape.

“You catapulted  _ yourself?” _

“It seemed like a good idea at the time.”

“Just when I thought you couldn’t get crazier.” Frank sighed, placing his head in his hands.

“But if Artemis is right,” Hazel said, “six of these machines will be rolling into Long Island tomorrow night. That’s what Octavian has been waiting for. At dawn on August first, he’ll have enough firepower to completely destroy Camp Half-Blood without a single Roman casualty. He thinks that’ll make him a hero.”

Frank muttered a Latin curse. “Except he’s also summoned so many monsterous ‘allies’ that the legion is completely surrounded by wild centaurs, tribes of dog-headed cynocephali, and who knows what else. As soon as the legion destroys Camp Half-Blood, the monsters will turn on Octavian and destroy the legion.”

“And then Gaea rises,” Leo said. “And bad stuff happens.”

There was a collective nod. “Right, well, I’ve got a plan. I’ll…” He glanced cautiously at the Doctor. “I’ll tell you guys later.”

“Why won’t you tell me?” The Doctor frowned, trying to keep his composure. “Don’t you trust me?”

“It’s not that,” Leo promised. “It’s just…” He hesitated.

“What?”

“Doctor, it’s your fatal flaw.” He admitted. “It’s the same reason I can’t tell Percy.”

“My fatal flaw?”

“You’re self-sactifical, Doctor, and Percy would sacrifice the world for his friends. Hazel and Frank? They’re Roman. They get it, doing your duty, jumping on your sword and all that.”

“You mean falling on your sword?” Frank asked.

“Whatever.” Leo said.

“But I  _ do  _ understand,” The Doctor tried. “I –”

“You want to be the sacrifice.” Leo said. “And that’s why I can’t tell you.”

“Leo…”

“Come on, let’s go back to the ship.” Leo said, casting his gaze towards his shoes. “We’ve got a healer god to find.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I’ve still got a bit of writing left to do for Blood of Olympus, but I was wondering what series you’d like me to do next. Kane Chronicles? Trials of Apollo? Magnus Chase? Please let me know in the comments! Thanks!


	10. The Lord of Medicine

The Doctor was _not_ sulking, thank you very much. He just wanted to be on his own. But finally, Percy beckoned him out of his room and the Doctor made his way to the upper deck.

The _Argo II_ really wasn’t in all that good of a shape – certainly not to fly, yet Leo had managed to get her airborne after only one night of work. And now the ship was hovering over the ancient temple complex of the healing god Asclepius where, with any luck, they could find the physician’s cure.

“Oh, that is _lovely.”_ The Doctor hummed as he spotted the secret entrance.

“Looks like more rubble.” Percy noted.

His face was still green from his underwater poisoning, but he wasn’t running to the loo to be sick so often, so this was progress.

Annabeth pointed to the disc-shaped structure about fifty meters off their port side. “There.”

Leo smiled. “Exactly. See, the architect knows her stuff.”

“What are we looking at?” Frank asked.

“Ah, _Señor_ Zhang,” Leo said, “You know how you’re always saying, ‘Leo, you are the only true genius among demigods’?”

“I’m pretty sure I never said that.”

“Well, turns out there are other true geniuses! Because one of them must have made that work of art down there.”

“Could’ve been aliens.” Frank said.

The Doctor gave him a lopsided grin. “See, now you’re catching on, Zhang.”

“It just looks like a stone circle,” Frank observed, as if trying to figure out a puzzle. “The fountain of an old shrine?”

Piper shook her head. “No, it’s more than that. Look at the ridges and grooves carved around the rim.”

“Like the teeth of a gear,” Jason offered.

“And those concentric rings.” Hazel pointed to the centre of the structure, where curved stones formed a sort of bull’s eye. “The pattern reminds me of Pasiphaë’s pendant: the symbol of the Labyrinth.”

“Huh.” Leo scowled. “Well, I hadn’t thought of that. But think _mechanical.”_

“It’s a lock.” The Doctor explained. “Like the Archimedes lock on the door.”

“The one with rings within rings.” Hazel recalled.

“But it’s like, fifty feet in diameter. How can it be a lock?” Percy asked.

“In ancient times, the temple of Asclepius was like the General Hospital of Greece.” Annabeth explained. _“Everybody_ came here for the best healing. Aboveground, it was the size of a major city, but supposedly the real action happened below ground. That’s where the high priests had their intensive-care super-magical-type compound, accessed by a secret passage.”

Percy scratched his ear. “So if that big round thing is the lock, how do we get the key?”

“Way ahead of you, Aquaman,” Leo said.

“Okay, do _not_ call me _Aquaman._ That’s even worse than _water boy.”_

“You guys remember the giant Archimedes grabber arm I told you I was building?” Leo asked.  
Jason raised an eyebrow. “I thought you were kidding.”

“Oh, my friend, I _never_ kid about giant grabber arms!” Leo rubbed his hands in anticipation. “It’s time to go fishing for prizes!”

Compared to other notifications Leo had made, the grabber arm was relatively simple to use. It had been originally designed to pluck enemy ships out of the water, but Leo had found another use for it.

Leo made his way into the hull’s forward access vent and extended the arm, whilst Jason stood on the deck, yelling directions.

“Left!” Jason called. “A couple of inches – yeah! Okay, down. Keep it coming. You’re good.”

The claw opened and the glove’s prongs settled around the grooves in the circular stone structure below.

He activated the sphere.

The arm began to turn like a corkscrew. It roasted the outer ring of stone, which ground and rumbled but, fortunately for everyone, didn’t shatter. The claw then detached, fixed itself around the second stone ring and turned in the opposite direction.

Below them, the final stone ring turned and settled with a deep pneumatic hiss. The entire fifteen meter pedestal telescoped downwards into a spiral staircase.

Hazel exhaled. “Even from up here, I’m sensing bad stuff at the bottom of those stairs. Something…large and dangerous. You sure you don’t want me to come along?”

“Thanks, Hazel, but we'll be good.” Leo assured her. “Me, Piper, Jason, and the Doc – we’re old pros at large and dangerous.

Frank held out the vial of Pylosian mint. “Don’t break it.”

Leo nodded gravely. “Don’t break the vial of deadly poison. Man, I’m glad you said that. _Never_ would have occurred to me.”

“Shut up, Valdez.” Frank gave him a massive hug. “And be careful.”

“Ribs,” Leo squeaked.

“Sorry.”

Annabeth and Percy wished them good luck, then Percy excused himself to go be sick in the loo.

Jason summoned the winds and whisked Piper, Leo, and the Doctor down to the surface.

The stairs spiralled downwards about twenty meters before opening into a massive chamber. The polished white tiles on the walls and floor reflected the light of Jason’s sword so well that Leo didn’t even need to make a fire. Rows of long stone benches filled the entire chamber. At the far end of the room, where the altar would have been, stood a three meter tall statue of pure white alabaster – a young woman in a white robe, a serene smile on her face. In one hand she raised a cup, whilst a golden serpent coiled around her arm, its head poised over the brim as if ready to drink.

“Large and dangerous.” Jason guessed.

“This was the sleeping area.” The Doctor said, his voice echoing loudly. “The patients would stay here overnight. Asclepius would send them a dream, telling them what cure to ask for.”

“How many times did you end up in here?” Piper teased.

“Well a number of times.” The Doctor said, “Where do you think I got my medical degree?”

“You actually have a medical degree?” Jason sounded genuinely surprised.

“Well, sort of.”

Piper raised an eyebrow. “How do you ‘sort of’ get a medical degree?”

“Well, I would’ve got one, but apparently chasing aliens down the hallways is ‘distracting to the other students’ and ‘unnerving the patients.’”

“Dude, you got kicked out of medical school?” Leo smirked. “So you’re not even a real doctor.”

“I’m _the_ Doctor.” The Doctor said, “The profession was named after me. I’m the original doctor.”

“Still, that’s hilarious.”

“I was saving the planet!”

“By chasing aliens through the hallways Scooby-Doo style?” Jason asked.

“Wait,” Leo looked at the Doctor eagerly. “Is Scooby an alien?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” The Doctor scoffed.

“But he’s a talking dog!” Leo protested.

“And he’s also a cartoon.” Piper pointed out.

Leo pouted. “You guys are no fun.”

“Yeah, Shaggy’s clearly the alien.” Jason teased.

“Actually, it’s Fred.” The Doctor said, “Now, see that statue, right there? That’s Hygeia –”

“Wait, you are _not_ just moving on from that.” Leo cried.

“Hygeia’s the daughter of Asclepius, isn’t she?” Piper said. “She’s the goddess of good health, which is where we get the word _hygiene.”_

Jason studied the statue warily. “What’s with the snake and the cup?”

“That’s the Bowl of Hygeia.” The Doctor said. “It’s Hygeia’s symbol.”

They made their way down the centre aisle towards the statue. The Doctor could see that, strewn across the benches, were old magazines: _Highlights for Children, Autumn, 20 B.C.E.; Hephaestus-TV Weakly – Aphrodite’s Latest Baby Bump; A: The Magazine of Asclepius – Ten Simple Tips to get Most out of Your Leaching!”_

“It’s a reception area,” Leo muttered. “I _hate_ reception areas.”

Here and there, piles of dust and scattered bones lay on the floor, which was not encouraging.

“Check it out,” Jason pointed. “Were those signs here when we walked in? And that door?”

“No, no they weren’t…” The Doctor murmured. On the wall to the right of the statue, above the closed metal door, were two electronic sign boards. The top one read:

THE DOCTOR IS:

INCARCERATED.

The sign below read:

NOW SERVING NUMBER 000000

Jason squinted. “I can’t read that far away. _The doctor is …”_

“Incarcerated.” The Doctor murmured.

“Apollo warned us that Asclepius was being held under guard.” Leo said. “Zeus didn’t want him sharing his medical secrets or something.”

“Twenty bucks and a box of Froot Loops that statue is the guardian,” Piper said.

“I’m not taking that bet.” Leo glanced at the nearest pile of waiting room dust. “Well…I guess we take a number.”

The statue had other ideas.

When they got within five feet, she turned her head and looked at them. Her expression remained frozen and her mouth didn’t move, but a voice issued from somewhere above, echoing throughout the room.

“Do you have an appointment?”

Piper didn’t miss a beat. “Hello, Hygeia! Apollo sent us. We need to see Asclepius.”

The alabaster statue stepped off her dais. “I see.” She didn’t sound pleased. “May I see your insurance cards?”

“Ah, well…” Piper faltered. “We don’t actually have –”

“Yes we do.” The Doctor pulled out the psychic paper. 

“Excellent.” She sounded at least not as irritated as before. As if to say, _well, at least you prepared the proper paperwork._

“Have you washed your hands thoroughly?”

“No, actually we were in a bit of a rush,” The Doctor said, glancing at Leo’s hands which, as per usual, were streaked with grease and grime. “Can you show us to disinfectant?”

“Of course. You shall be sanitized before we proceed.”

The golden snake uncurled and dropped from her arm. It reared its head and hissed, flashing sabre-like fangs.

“Uh, Doctor,” Jason said nervously, “Please tell me that getting sanitized by large snakes isn’t covered by our medical plan.”

“Sanitizing is community service.” Hygeia said. “It’s complimentary!”

Yeah, this wasn’t good.

The snake lunged.

Leo leapt out of the snake’s path and it flew past, missing his head by an inch. He rolled and came up, hands blazing. As the snake attacked, Leo blasted it in the eyes, causing it to veer left and smash into the bench.

Piper and Jason ran towards the statue, slashing through her knees. She toppled over, her head hitting the bench. Her chalice splashed steaming acid all over the floor. Jason and Piper moved in for the kill, but before they could strike, Hygeia’s legs popped back on as if they were magnetic. The goddess rose, still smiling.

“Unacceptable,” She said. “The doctor will not see you until you are properly sanitized.”

She sloshed her cup towards the Doctor, who jumped out of the way as more acid splashed across the nearest benches, dissolving the stone in a hissing cloud of steam.

The snake, meanwhile, recovered its senses. Its melted metal eyes somehow repaired themselves. Its face popped back into shape.

It struck at Leo, who ducked and tried to grapple its neck, but the serpent shot past, its rough metal skin leaving Leo’s hands scraped and bleeding.

Jason then soared through the air and lopped off the goddess’s head.

Sadly, the head flew right back into place.

“Unacceptable.” Hygeia said calmly. “Decapitation is not a healthy lifestyle choice.”

“Jason, get over here!” Leo shouted. “Doctor, buy us some time! I’ve got an idea!”

The Doctor hesitated for a moment, before nodding.

“Hygeia!” The Doctor called, “I was thinking about updating my insurance. What do you think?”

That got the statue’s attention. Even the golden snake turned towards him.

“Well that depends,” Hygeia said, “What kind of coverage were you looking for?”

The Doctor pretended to consider this for a long moment. “Something with a good copay, for sure.”

“Oh, well, I’ve definitely got a few recommendations…”

From the corner of his eye, the Doctor could see Leo, Jason, and Piper break out of their huddle. Leo jumped on the serpent’s back, the serpent not even seeming to notice him. Leo prised open a service panel near the snake’s head.

Jason and Piper stood by, ready to attack, but the snake seemed transfixed by the Doctor’s discussion about health insurance.

“Well, you’ve also got to think about what kind of a primary care deity you were looking for.” Hygeia was saying. “I’ve got just the best deity for my insurance plan…”

The snake lurched as Leo connected the last two wires. Leo jumped off and the golden serpent began shaking uncontrollably.

Hygeia stopped mid-sentence and whirled around. “What have you done? My snake requires medical assistance!”

“Well, what kind of insurance plan does he have?” The Doctor asked calmly.

“WHAT?” The statue turned to face him, and Leo jumped. Jason summoned a gust of wind to boost Leo onto the statue’s shoulders. He popped open the back of the statue’s head as she staggered around, sloshing acid.

“Get off!” She yelled. “This is not hygienic!”

“Hey!” Jason yelled, flying circles around her. “I have questions about my deductibles!”

_“What?”_ the statue cried.

“Hygeia!” Piper shouted to the Doctor’s left, “I need an invoice submitted to Medicare!”

“No, please!”

Leo clicked a few dials and pulled some wires before reconnecting her circuits. Hygeia began to spin, hollering and flailing her arms. Leo jumped away, narrowly avoiding an acid bath.

“What did you do?” Piper demanded as they backed up.

“Idiot mode,” Leo said.

“Excuse me?”

“Back at camp,” Jason explained. “Chiron had this ancient gaming system in the rec room. Leo and I used to play it sometimes. You’d compete against, like, computer-controlled opponents, coms –”

“– and they had three difficulty options,” Leo said. _“Easy, medium,_ and _hard.”_

“I’ve played video games before,” Piper said. “So what did you do?”

“Well…I got bored with those settings.” Leo shrugged. “So I invented a fourth difficulty level: _idiot mode_ . It makes the coms _so_ stupid it’s funny. They always choose exactly the wrong thing to do.”

The Doctor watched the statue and the snake, looking almost impressed.

“Are you sure you set them to _idiot mode?”_ Piper asked. “What if you set them to _extreme_ difficulty?”

“We’ll know in a minute.” Leo shrugged.

The snake stopped shuddering. It coiled up and looked around, bewildered.

Hygeia froze. A puff of smoke drifted from her right ear. She looked down at Leo. “You must die! Hello! You must die!”

She raised her cup and poured acid over her face. Then she turned and marched face-first into the nearest wall. The snake reared up and slammed its head repeatedly into the floor.

“Okay,” Jason said. “I think we have achieved _idiot mode.”_

“Hello! Die!” Hygeia backed away from the wall and slammed into it again.

“Let’s go.” Leo ran for the metal door next to the dias. He grabbed the handle. It was still locked.

The Doctor tried to sonic it. “Deadlocked.” He cursed. “Of course he remembered.”

“Wait, I’ve got an idea.” Leo said, “Jason, give me a boost.”

Another gust of wind levitated him upwards towards the two blinking signs above the door. Leo went to work with his pliers, reprogramming the signs until the top one flashed:

THE DOCTOR IS:

IN DA HOUSE.

The bottom sign changed to read:

NOW SERVING:

ALL DA LADIES LUV LEO!

The metal door swung open, and Leo returned to the floor.

“See, the wait wasn’t so bad!” Leo grinned at the crew. “The doctor will see us now.”

At the end of the hall stood a walnut door with a bronze plaque:

ASCLEPIUS

MD, DMD, DME, DC, DVS, FAAN, OMG, EMT, TTYL, FRCP, ME, IOU, OD, OT, PHARMD, BAMF, RN, PHD, INC., SMH

There had been many more acronyms, but the Doctor stopped reading them, rolling his eyes.

Piper knocked. “Dr. Asclepius?”

The door flew open. The man inside had a kindly smile, crinkles around his eyes, short salt-and-pepper hair and a well-trimmed beard. He wore a white lab coat over a business suit and a stethoscope around his neck. In his hand was a polished black staff with a live green python coiled around it.

“Hello!” said Asclepius, before his eyes landed on the Doctor. “You. How _dare_ you come back here –”

The Doctor grumbled something not so hygienic under his breath and Piper decided to take over.

“Doctor.” Piper said. The Doctor resisted the temptation to say, _What?_ “We’d be so _grateful_ for your help. We need the physician’s cure.”

Asclepius faced Piper and his smile returned. He put his hand over his heart. “Oh, my dear, I would be delighted to help _you_.”

Piper’s smile wavered. “You would? I mean, of course you would.”

“Come in! Come in!” Asclepius ushered them into his office. Once the Doctor was about to step through, he said, “You can come in, I suppose. But if you destroy my office again!”

“Would you rather have been eaten by carnivorous rubbers –”

“Carnivorous rubber?” Leo whispered to Piper and Jason.

“I think rubbers are erasers.” Piper said.

“Why doesn’t he just say erasers, then?”

“Um, did you guys miss the carnivorous part?” Jason asked.

Asclepius took the chair at the other end of his maple desk. He laid his staff and serpent across his desk. “Please, sit!”

Jason and Piper took the two chairs on the patients’ side, and the Doctor and Leo remained standing.

“So.” Asclepius leaned back. “I can’t tell you how nice it is to actually talk with patients. The last few thousand years, the paperwork has got out of control. Rush, rush, rush. Fill in forms. Deal with red tape. Not to mention the giant alabaster guardian who kills everyone in the waiting room. It takes all the fun out of medicine!”

“Yeah,” Leo said. “Hygeia is kind of a downer.”

Asclepius grinned. “My _real_ daughter Hygeia isn’t like that, I assure you. She’s quite nice. At any rate, you did well reprogramming the statue. You have a surgeon’s hands.”

Jason shuddered. “Leo with a scalpel? Don’t encourage him.”

“Unlike the _‘Doctor’_ , here?” He put up air quotes as he said, _Doctor_.

“Wait, how are his hands worse than Leo’s?” Jason asked.

“Too shaky.” Asclepius sneared.

“My hands do not _shake._ ” The Doctor growled.

“Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.” Asclepius said definitively.

“Wait, you have PTSD?” Leo asked.

“No, I don’t.” The Doctor denied.

“Ooh! And a nasty imperial gold sword wound!”

“Look, we need your help to –” Jason began, but Asclepius wheeled around and began inspecting him. “No heart problems, then, no cancer, watch that mole on your left foot, but I’m sure it’s benign.”

“Hold up, how –” Jason tried, but Asclepius ignored him.

“Oh, of course! You’re a bit short-sighted! Simple fix.”

He opened his drawer and whipped out a prescription pad and an eyeglass case. He scribbled something on the pad, then handed the spectacles and the script to Jason. “Keep the prescription for future reference, but these lenses should work. Try them on.”

“You’re short-sighted?” Leo asked.

Jason opened the case. “I – I _have_ had a little trouble seeing stuff from a distance lately,” He admitted. “I thought I was just tired.” He tried on the glasses, which had thin frames of Imperial gold. “Wow. Yeah. That's better.”

Piper smiled. “You look very distinguished.”

“I don’t know, man,” Leo said. “I’d go for contacts – glowing orange ones with cat’s-eye pupils. Those would be cool.”

“Glasses are fine,” Jason decided. “Thanks, uh, Dr. Asclepius, but that’s not why we came.”

“I can’t heal his Imperial wound.” Asclepius said, “And even if I could, I wouldn’t.”

“Thanks Mr. Hippocratic Oath.” The Doctor grumbled.

“It’s a good thing I can’t, then!”

“We didn’t come for that either.” Jason said.

“No? Well, let’s see, then…” He turned to Piper. “You seem fine, my dear. Broken arm when you were six. Fell off a horse?”

Piper’s jaw dropped. “How could you possibly know that?”

“Vegetarian diet,” He continued. “No problem, just make sure you’re getting enough iron and protein. Hmm…A little weak in the left shoulder. I assume you got hit with something heavy about a month ago?”

“A sandbag in Rome,” Piper said. “That’s amazing.”

“Alternate ice and a hot pack if it bothers you,” Asclepius advised. “And you…” He faced Leo. “Oh, my.” His expression turned grim. “Oh, I see…”

“What?” Jason’s new glasses flashed. “What’s wrong with Leo?”

“Hey, doc.” Leo said, “Hipaa, much? We came for the physician’s cure. Can you help us? I’ve got some Pylosian mint here and a very nice yellow daisy.” He set the ingredients on the desk, carefully avoiding the snake’s mouth.

“Hold it,” Piper said. “Is there something wrong with Leo or not?”

Asclepius cleared his throat. “I…never mind. He’s quite right. Hipaa laws and all that. Now, you want the physician’s cure.”

Piper frowned. “But –”

“Seriously, guys,” Leo said, “I’m fine, except for the fact that Gaea’s destroying the world tomorrow. Let’s focus.”

No one seemed particularly pleased by that, but Asclepius forged ahead. “So this daisy was picked by my father, Apollo?”

“Yep,” Leo confirmed. “He sends hugs and kisses.”

Asclepius picked the flower and sniffed it. “I do hope Dad comes through this war all right. Zeus can be…quite unreasonable. Now, the only missing ingredient is the heartbeat of the chained god.”

“I have it,” Piper said. “At least…I can summon the makhai.”

“Excellent. Just a moment, dear.” He looked at his python. “Spike, are you ready?”

Leo stifled a laugh. “Your snake’s name is Spike?”

Spike looked at him balefully. He hissed, revealing a crown of spikes around his neck like a basilisk.

Leo’s laugh died. “My bad,” He said. “Of course your name is Spike.”

“He’s a little grumpy,” Asclepius said. “People are always confusing _my_ staff with the staff of Hermes, which has two snakes, obviously. Over the centuries, people have called Hermes’s staff the symbol of medicine, when, of course, it should be _my_ staff. Spike feels slighted. George and Martha get all the attention. Anyway…”

Asclepius set the daisy and poison in front of Spike. “Pylosian mint – certainty of death. The curse of Delos – anchoring that which cannot be anchored. Now the final ingredient: the heartbeat of a chained go – chaos, violence, and fear of mortality.” He turned to Piper. “My dear, you may release the makhai.”

Piper closed her eyes.

Wind swirled through the room. Furious voices wailed and feelings of anger flew through the Doctor.

Then, Spike unhinged his jaw and swallowed the angry wind. His neck ballooned as the spirits of battle went down his throat. He snapped up the daisy and the vial of Pylosian mint.

“Won’t the poison hurt him?” Jason asked.

“No, no.” Asclepius said. “Wait and see.”

A moment later, Spike belched out a new vial – a stoppered glass tube of a glowing dark red liquid.

“The physician’s cure.” Asclepius picked up the vial and turned it in the light. His expression becomes serious, then bewildered. “Wait…why did I agree to make this?”

Piper placed her hand palm up on the desk. “Because we need it to save the world. It’s very important. You’re the only one who can help us.”

Her charmspeak was so potent that even Spike relaxed. He curled around his staff and went to sleep. Asclepius’s expression softened.

“Of course,” He said. “I forgot. But you must be careful. Hades hates it when I raise people from the dead. The last time I gave someone this potion, the Lord of the Underworld complained to Zeus, and I was killed by a lightning bolt. BOOM!”

Leo flinched. “You look pretty good for a dead guy.”

“Oh, I got better. That was part of the compromise. You see, when Zeus killed me, my father Apollo got very upset. He couldn’t take out his anger on Zeus directly; the king of the gods was much too powerful. So Apollo took revenge on the makers of lightning bolts instead. He killed some of the Elder Cyclopes. For that, Zeus punished Apollo…quite severely. Finally, to make peace, Zeus agreed to make me a god of medicine, and the understanding that I wouldn’t bring anyone else back to life.” Asclepius’s eyes filled with uncertainty. “And yet here I am…giving you the cure.”

“Because you realize how important this is,” Piper said, “You’re willing to make an exception.”

“Yes…” Reluctantly, Asclepius handed Piper the vial. “At any rate, the potion must be administered as soon as possible after death. It can be injected or poured into the mouth. And there is only enough for one person. Do you understand me?” He looked directly at Leo.

“We understand,” Piper promised.

He then glared at the Doctor. “Leave. There are things I wish to discuss without your presence.”

The Doctor was about to argue back, when Piper glanced at him. Her eyes pleading for him to play along.

“Fine.” He growled, leaving the room, only to close the door behind him and press himself against it.

“Make sure he eats and sleeps more.” Asclepius said, the moment he thought the Doctor was gone. “Even with his physiology, he’s not getting enough of either.”

“Wait, why are you telling us this?” Piper asked. “I thought you hated him.”

“I do.” He said immediately, then, softer, “Call it a favour for my daughter.”

“Hygeia?” Piper asked.

“Aegle.” He murmured.

“Oh, I didn’t know he knew her.” Piper said.

“There are many things you don’t know about him,” Asclepius said. “And there are many things you will never know about him. But this, I will tell you.” He sighed. “Aegle traveled with him for a time.”

“And what happened?” Leo asked.

“He nearly got her killed.” Asclepius snarled. “Got himself killed. He showed back at my doors with a new face and wanted to take her away with him again.”

“Did she not want to go?” Piper asked.

“Of course she wanted to go!” Asclepius said, “She’d fallen in love with the man. She said nothing would keep them apart.” He sighed heavily. “And then my son Machaon died in the Trojan war. She couldn’t bear to further split up the family. She refused to keep traveling and, unbeknownst to her, I cast him out of my school and told him not to dare return.”

“Wait,” Leo said, “He told us it was because –”

“Yes, yes, probably some silly story about attack monkeys –”

“No, he just said chasing aliens through the halls Scooby-Doo style.”

“That dreadful dog.” Asclepius growled. “No, that was a different situation, entirely.”

“And did he return?” Piper asked.

“No.” He said. “That was the worst part. He didn’t even try. Ran away across the universe.”

“Then why do you still want to help him?” Jason asked.

“Because,” Asclepius sighed. “Because she still loves him.”

The Doctor slid down the door. He barely registered the tears that slid down his cheeks.

“Asclepius,” Piper said, “I’m so sorry…”

“Don’t be.” Asclepius said, clearing his throat. “He made his choice, not you. Now off you go.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?” Piper asked. “Your guardian is out of commission. You’d be really helpful aboard the _Argo II.”_

“The _Argo…_ ” Asclepius said wistfully. “Back when I was a demigod, I sailed on the original ship, you know. Ah, to be a carefree adventurer again!”

“Yeah…” Jason muttered. “Carefree.”

“But, alas, I cannot. Zeus will already be quite angry with me for helping you. Besides, the guardian will reprogram itself soon. You should leave. Best wishes, demigods. And if you see my father again, please…give him my regrets.”

They took their leave, pushing the door open to find the Doctor, waiting, all traces of his tears erased completely.

Back on the _Argo II_ , they gathered in the canteen and filled in the rest of the crew.

“I don’t like it,” Jason said. “The way Asclepius looked at Leo –”

“Look, any one of us might die, right?” Percy said. “So we just need to keep the potion handy.”

“Assuming only _one_ of us dies,” Jason pointed out. “There’s only one dose.”

Hazel and Frank stared at Leo. He gave them a look that said, _Knock it off._

“We have to keep our options open,” Piper said. “We need, like, a designated medic to carry the potion – somebody who can react quickly and heal whoever gets killed.”

“Good idea, Beauty Queen,” Leo said, but there was a look in his eye that told the Doctor he was lying. “I nominate you.”

Piper blinked. “But…Annabeth is wiser. Hazel can move faster on Arion. Frank can turn into animals. The Doctor –”

“But you’ve got heart.” Annabeth squeezed Piper’s hand. “Leo’s right. When the time comes, you’ll know what to do.”

“Yeah,” Jason agreed. “I have a feeling you’re the best choice, Pipes. You’re going to be there with us at the end, whatever happens, storm or fire.”

Leo picked up the vial. “Is everyone in agreement?”

No one objected.

He pulled a chamois cloth from his tool belt and wrapped the physician’s cure before presenting it to Piper.

“Okay, then,” He said. “Athens tomorrow morning, gang. Be ready to fight some giants.”

“Yeah…” Frank murmured. “I know _I’ll_ sleep well.”

The Doctor retreated to his room where, despite the incessant knocking on the door from Jason and Piper, he pretended to sleep, though his eyes didn’t close once.


	11. Snake People and Bundt Cake

The ship docked at the harbour in Piraeus, on the outskirts of Athens. Somewhere nearby past a few rows of cruise ships and a few hills crowded with buildings, they would find the Acropolis. Today, one way or another, the journey would end.

The Doctor was on watch whilst the demigods geared up for combat. Well, technically, he wasn’t on watch. The rest of the crew had refused to allow for him to take watch since he was ‘injured’ and ‘bound to get himself killed’ and so he would often stand next to the person who was actually assigned to watch and watch with them. At the moment, that was Piper.

“Uh…Doctor?” Piper said nervously.

“What?” He turned to see a number of dracaenae-like creatures slithering along the docks, winding through crowds of mortal tourists who paid them no attention.

“Oh, that’s not good.” He murmured. “Annabeth!”

“What?” Annabeth and Percy hurried over to their side.

“Oh, great,” Percy said. “Dracaenae.”

Annabeth narrowed her eyes. “I don’t think so. At least not like any  _ I’ve  _ seen.” She glanced to the Doctor as if asking for him to contribute some weird life experience. He just shrugged and she continued. “Dracaenae have two separate trunks for legs. These guys just have one.”

“You’re right,” Percy said. “These look more human on top, too. Not all scaly and green and stuff. So do we talk or fight?”

“Talk.” The Doctor said immediately.

The others didn’t look so sure.

The Dracaenae-like man at the front held his head high. His face was chiselled and bronze, his eyes black as basalt, his curly dark hair glistening with oil. His upper body rippled with muscles, covered only by a Greek chlamys. From the waist down, his body was that of a massive serpent trunk, green tail undulating behind him as he moved.

In one hand, he carried a staffed topped with a glowing green jewel. In his other, he carried a platter covered with a silver dome.

The two behind him appeared to be guards, wearing bronze breastplates and elaborate helms topped with horsehair bristles. Their spears were tipped with green stone points. Their oval shields were emblazoned with a large Greek letter K –  _ kappa _ .

They stopped a few meters away from the  _ Argo II. _ The leader looked up and studied the crew. His expression was intense but inscrutable. 

“Permission to come aboard.” He said.

“State your name and intent!” The Doctor called back.

He fixed his dark eyes on the Doctor. “I am Kekrops, the first and eternal king of Athens. I would welcome you to my city.” He held up the covered platter. “Also, I brought a Bundt cake.”

The Doctor gleaned at Piper, Annabeth, and Percy, as if to say,  _ See, not everyone is bad. _

“A trick?” Piper suggested, ignoring the Doctor’s look and subsequent pout.

“Probably.” Annabeth said.

“At least he brought desert.” Percy smiled down at the snake-men. “Welcome aboard!”

Kekrops agreed to leave his guards above deck with Buford the table, who ordered them to drop and give him twenty push-ups. The guards seemed to take this as a challenge.

Meanwhile, the king of Athens was invited to the canteen with the rest of the crew.

“Please take a seat,” Jason offered.

Kekrops wrinkled his nose. “Snake people do not sit.”

“Please remain standing.” Leo said. He cut the cake and stuffed a piece in his mouth. “Dang!” He grinned. “Snake people know how to makeBundt cake. Kind of orangey, with a hint of honey. Needs a glass of milk.”

“Snake people do not drink milk,” Kekrops said. “We are lactose-intolerant reptiles.”

“Me too!” Frank said. “I mean…lactose intolerant. Not a reptile. Though I  _ can  _ be a reptile sometimes –”

“Right, anyways,” The Doctor interrupted. “King Kekrops, what brings you here?”

“And how’d you know we’d arrived?” Hazel added.

“I know everything that happens in Athens,” Kekrops said. “I was the city’s founder, its first king, born of the earth. I am the one who judged the dispute between Athena and Poseidon, and chose Athena to be the patron of the city.”

“No hard feelings, though,” Percy muttered.

Annabeth elbowed him. “I’ve heard of you, Kekrops. You were the first to offer sacrifices to Athena. You built her first shrine on the Acropolis.”

“Correct.” Kekrops sounded bitter, like he regretted his decision. “My people were the  _ original  _ Athenians – the gemini.”

“Like your zodiac sign?” Percy asked. “I’m a Leo.”

“No, stupid,” Leo said. “I’m a Leo. You’re a Percy.”

“Will you two stop it?” Hazel chided. “I think he means gemini like  _ doubled _ – half man, half snake. That’s what his people are called.”

“He’s a geminus, singular.” The Doctor nodded.

“Yes…” Kekrops leaned away from Hazel and the Doctor, as if they’d somehow offended him. “Millennia ago, were driven underground by the two-legged humans, but I know the ways of the city better than any. I came to warn you. If you try to approach the Acropolis aboveground, you will be destroyed.”

Jason stopped nibbling his cake. “You mean…by you?”

“By Porphyrion’s armies,” Kekrops said. “The Acropolis is ringed with great siege weapons – onagers.”

_ “More  _ onagers?” Frank protested. “Did they have a sale or something?”

“The Cyclopes must be supplying both Octavian and the giants.” The Doctor murmured.

Percy grunted. “Like we need more proof that Octavian is on the wrong side.”

“That is not the only threat,” Kekrops warned. “The air is filled with storm spirits and gryphons. All roads to the Acropolis are patrolled by the Earthborn.”

Frank drummed his fingers on the Bundt cake cover. “So, what, we should just give up? We’ve come too far for that.”

“I offer you an alternative,” said Kekrops. “Underground passage to the Acropolis. For the sake of Athena, for the sake of the gods. I will help you.”

“And the catch?” Piper asked.

Kekrops turned his dark eyes on her. “Only a small party of demigods – no more than four – could pass undetected by the giants. Otherwise your scent would give you away. But our underground passages could lead you straight into the ruins of the Acropolis. Once there, you could disable the siege weapons by stealth and allow the rest of your crew to approach. With luck, you could take the giants by surprise. You might be able to disrupt their ceremony.”

“Ceremony?” Leo asked. “Oh…like, to wake Gaea.”

“Even now it has begun,” Kekrops warned. “Can you not feel the earth trembling? We, the gemini, are your best chance.”

There was something in his voice…something eager…hungry…

Percy looked around the table. “Any objections?”

“Just a few,” Jason said. “We’re on the enemy’s doorstep. We’re being asked to split up. Isn’t that how people get killed in horror movies?”

“There is strength in numbers.” The Doctor nodded gravely. He didn’t need horror movies to confirm that.

“Also,” Percy said, “Gaea  _ wants  _ us to reach the Parthenon. She wants our blood to water the stones and all that other psycho garbage. Won’t we be playing right into her hands?”

The Doctor could see Annabeth catch Piper’s eye. She asked the girl a silent question:  _ What’s your feeling? _

Piper hesitated. Then, she began to sing.

It was a song called Summertime, and as she sang, Kekrops began to sway. Even the Doctor found himself transfixed in the music.

She finished the verse. No one spoke for a five-count.

“Pipes,” Jason said, “I had no idea.”

“That was beautiful,” Leo agreed.

Piper kept Kekrops’s gaze. “What are your real intentions?”

“To deceive you,” He said in a trance, still swaying. “We hope to lead you into the tunnels and destroy you.”

“Why?” Piper asked.

“The Earth Mother has promised us great rewards. If we spill your blood under the Parthenon, that will be sufficient to complete her awakening.”

“But you serve Athena,” Piper said. “You founded her city.”

Kekrops made a low hiss. “And in return the goddess abandoned me. Athena replaced me with a two-legged  _ human  _ king. She drove my daughters mad. They leaped to their deaths from the cliffs of Acropolis. The original Athenians, the gemini, were driving underground and forgotten. Athena, the goddess of wisdom, turned her back on us, but wisdom comes from the earth as well. We are, first and last, the children of Gaea. The Earth Mother has promised us a place in the sun of the upper world.”

“Gaea is lying,” Piper said. “She intends to destroy the upper world, not  _ give  _ it to anyone.”

Kekrops bared his fangs. “Then we will be no worse off than we were under the treacherous gods!”

He raised his staff, but Piper launched into another verse of ‘Summertime’.

The snake king’s arms went limp. His eyes glassed over.

Piper sang a few more lines before risking to ask another question: “The giants’ defences, the underground passage to the Acropolis – how much of what you told us is true?”

“All of it,” Kekrops said. “The Acropolis  _ is  _ heavily defended, just as I described. Any approach aboveground would be impossible.”

“So you  _ could  _ guide us through your tunnels,” Piper said. “That’s also true?”

“Yes, but…” Kekrops shuddered. “Yes, they would obey. Four of you at most could go without attracting the attention of the giants.”

Annabeth’s eyes darkened. “Piper, we’d be crazy to try it. He’ll kill us at the first opportunity.”

“Yes,” The snake king agreed. “Only this girl’s music controls me. I hate it. Please, sing some more.”

Piper gave him another verse.

“I should go,” Hazel said, “If it’s underground.”

“Never,” Kekrops said. “A child of the Underworld? My people would find your presence revolting. No charming music would keep them from slaying you.”

Hazel swallowed. “Or I could stay here.”

“I’ll go,” The Doctor said. “Not a demigod. We’ve got a better chance that way since my blood couldn’t wake Gaea.”

There was a collective agreement. “Okay, and the other three?” Hazel asked.

“Me and Percy,” Annabeth suggested.

“Um…” Percy raised his hand. “Just gonna throw this out here again. That’s exactly what Gaea wants – you and me, our blood watering the stones, et cetera.”

“I know.” Annabeth’s expression was grim. “But it’s the most logical choice. The oldest shrines on the Acropolis are dedicated to Poseidon and Athena. Kekrops, wouldn’t that mask our approach?”

“Yes,” Kekrops admitted. “Your…your scent would be difficult to discern. The ruins always radiate the power of those two gods.”

“And me,” Piper said at the end of her song. “You’ll need me to keep our friend here in line.”

Jason squeezed his girlfriend’s hand. “I still hate the idea of splitting up.”

“But it’s our best shot,” Frank said. “The four of them sneak in and disable the onagers, cause a distraction. Then the rest of us fly in with ballistae blazing.”

“Yes,” Kekrops said, “That plan could work. If I do not kill you first.”

“I’ve got an idea,” Annabeth said. “Frank, Hazel, Leo…let's talk. Piper, can you keep our friend musically incapacitated?”

Piper started a different song called ‘Happy Trails’ as she nodded her head in agreement.

“Perfect.”

From the port of the Acropolis, they saw nothing of Athens apart from dark sewer tunnels. The snake men led them through an iron storm grate at the docks, straight into their underground lair.

“I don’t like this place,” Annabeth murmured. “Reminds me of when I was underneath Rome.”

Kekrops hissed with laughter. “Our domain is much older.  _ Much, _ much older.”

Annabeth slipped her hand into Percy’s.

Piper’s voice echoed through the tunnels. As they traveled further into the lair, more snake people gathered to hear. Soon they had a procession following behind them – dozens of gemini all swaying and slithering.

They passed through crude stone chambers littered with bones. They climbed slopes so steep and slippery, they had a difficult time keeping their footing. The Doctor could feel his wound being jolted and shooting pain up his body. He just tried to ignore it. At one point, they passed a warm cave filled with snake eggs, their tops covered with a layer of silver filaments.

More and more snake people joined their procession. The Doctor began to wonder how many gemini lived down here. Hundreds, thousands perhaps.

He could hear a heartbeat echoing through the corridor. Heartbeat singular…Who’s heart was beating?

_ I wake. _ A woman’s voice, clear as Piper’s singing, echoed in the cave.

The group froze. “Oh, that’s not good.” Annabeth said.

“No…no it’s not.” The Doctor murmured.

The voice of Gaea spoke again, louder this time.  _ At last. _

Piper’s singing wavered, but they forged ahead.

Finally, they reached the top of a steep slope, where the path ended in a curtain of green goo. Kekrops faced the demigods. “Beyond this camouflage is the Acropolis. You must remain here. I will check that your way is clear.”

“Wait.” Piper turned to address the crowd of gemini. “There is only death above. You will be safer in the tunnels. Hurry back. Forget you saw us. Protect yourselves.”

The fear in her voice channeled perfectly with the charmspeak. The snake people, even the guards, turned and slithered into the darkness, leaving only the king.

“Kekrops,” Piper said, “You're planning to betray us as soon as you step through that goo.”

“Yes,” He agreed. “I will alert the giants. They will destroy you.” Then he hissed. “Why did I tell you that?”

“Listen to the heartbeat of Gaea,” Piper urged. “You can sense her rage, can’t you?”

Kekrops wavered. The end of his staff glowed dimly. “I can, yes. She is angry.”

“She’ll destroy everything,” Piper said. “She’ll reduce the Acropolis to a smoking crater. Athens – your city – will be utterly destroyed, your people along with it. You believe me, don’t you?”

“I – I do.”

“Whatever hatred you have for humans, for demigods, for Athena, we are the only chance to stop Gaea. So you will  _ not  _ betray us. For your own sake, and your people, you will scout the territory and make sure the way is clear. You will say nothing to the giants. Then you will return.”

“This is…what I’ll do.” Kekrops disappeared through the membrane of goo.

“Piper, you’re brilliant.” The Doctor grinned at the girl.

“Yeah, that was incredible.” Annabeth said.

“We’ll see if it works.” Piper sat down on the cool stone floor.

The Doctor took a seat as well, carefully monitoring his face so as not to reveal his pain.

Percy handed around a canteen of water.

“Thanks.” The Doctor smiled.

Annabeth narrowed her eyes. Then stood up, stalked over, and dropped down next to the Doctor. “You’re in pain.”

“What?”

“I can tell.”

“How?” He asked defensively.

“Your eyes…” She murmured. “Eyes are the windows to the soul.”

“I hate that bloody saying.”

“Because it’s wrong?” Percy asked.

“No, because it’s right.”

He batted away Annabeth’s hands. “There’s nothing you can do.”

“I can keep it clean.” Annabeth snapped. “Because you can’t take care of yourself.”

“So…Do you think the charm will last?” Percy asked Piper.

“I’m not sure,” Piper admitted. “If Kekrops comes back in two minutes with an army of giants, then no.”

The heartbeat of Gaea echoed through the floor.

The room fell silent for a long moment, Annabeth reluctantly abandoning her attempt and retreating back to the side of her boyfriend.

“Do you ever think about your families?” Piper asked.

“Every day.” The Doctor breathed, but he wasn’t even sure if anyone heard him.

Percy’s gaze became unfocused. His lower lip quivered. “My mom…I – I haven’t even  _ seen  _ her since Hera made me disappear. I called her from Alaska. I gave Coach Hedge some letters to deliver to her. I…” His voice broke. “She’s all I’ve got. Her and my stepdad, Paul.”

“And Tyson,” Annabeth reminded him. “And Grover. And –”

“Yeah, of course,” Percy said. “Thanks. I feel much better.”

Piper laughed softly. “What about you, Annabeth?”

“My dad…my stepmom and stepbrothers.” She turned the drakon-bone blade in her lap. “After all I’ve been through in the past year, it seems stupid that I resented them for so long. And my dad’s relatives…I haven’t thought about them in years. I have an uncle and cousin in Boston.”

Percy looked shocked. “You, with the Yankees cap? You’ve got family in Red Sox country?”

Annabeth smiled weakly. “I never see them. My dad and uncle don’t get along. Some old rivalry. I don’t know. It’s stupid what keeps people apart.”

“What about you, Doctor?” Piper asked tenderly.

“My family’s dead.” He said coldly.

“I – I know, but I mean, don’t you have friends on Earth? Friends who are like family?”

The ghost of a smile rested on the Doctor’s face. “Jack, he’s – this friend of mine. Kind of more… _ Was  _ more. Not anymore, he tried, but…” He cleared his throat. “And Martha Jones, she’s working with UNIT now, a proper doctor…Sarah Jane Smith, she’s got this son now, Luke. And K9…”

“There you go.” Piper smiled softly.

At the top of the tunnel, the green membrane rippled.

Piper and Percy both grabbed their swords and rose. Annabeth grabbed hers and assisted the Doctor to his feet.

But Kekrops emerged alone.

“The way is clear,” He said. “But hurry. The ceremony is almost complete.”

Pushing through the curtain of mucus was not the most pleasant of experiences, but fortunately for all of them, none of it stuck to them.

Percy, Annabeth, Piper, and the Doctor found themselves in a cool, damp pit that seemed to be the basement level of the temple. All around them, uneven ground stretched into darkness under a low ceiling of stone. Directly above their heads, a rectangular gap was open to the sky. The Doctor could see the edges of walls and the tops of columns, but no monsters…yet.

The camouflage membrane had closed behind them and blended into the ground. The Doctor pressed his hand against it, but the area seemed to be solid rock. They wouldn’t be leaving the way they’d come.

Annabeth ran her hand along some marks on the ground – a jagged crow’s-foot shape as long as a human body. The area was lumpy and white, like stone scar tissue. “This is the place,” She said. “Percy, these are the trident marks of Poseidon.”

Hesitantly, Percy touched the scars. “He must’ve been using his extra-extra-large trident.”

“This is where he struck the earth,” Annabeth said. “Where he made a saltwater spring appear when he had the contest with my mom to sponsor Athens.”

“So this is where the rivalry started,” Percy said.

“Yeah.”

Percy pulled Annabeth close and kissed her…long enough for the Doctor and Piper to exchange a long uncomfortable look. 

When Percy finally pulled away, Annabeth was gasping for air.

“The rivalry ends here,” Percy said. “I love you, Wise Girl.”

Annabeth made a little sigh, like something in her ribcage had melted.

Percy glanced at the Doctor and Piper. “Sorry, I had to do that.”

Piper grinned. “How could a daughter of Aphrodite not approve? You’re a great boyfriend.”

Annabeth made another grunt-whimper. “Uh…anyway. We’re beneath the Erechtheion. It’s a temple to both Athena and Poseidon. The Parthenon should be diagonally to the southeast of here. We’ll need to sneak around the perimeter and disable as many siege weapons as we can, make an approach path for the  _ Argo II _ . _ ” _

“It’s broad daylight,” Piper said. “How will we go unnoticed?”

Annabeth scanned the sky. “That’s why I made a plan with Frank and Hazel. Hopefully…ah. Look.”

A bee zipped overhead. Dozens more followed. They swarmed around a column, then hovered over the opening of the pit.

“Frank!” The Doctor grinned.

“How did you know it was him?” Percy asked. “Oh, wait. You speak –”

“I speak bee.”

“Of course you do.” Annabeth sighed.

“How does that even work?” Percy asked as the cloud of bees zipped away. “Like…one bee is a finger? Two bees are his eyes?”

“I don’t know,” Annabeth admitted. “But he’s our go-between. As soon as he gives Hazel the word, she will –”

“Gah!” Percy yelped.

Annabeth clamped her hand over his mouth.

Which looked strange, since suddenly each of them had turned into a hulking, six-armed Gegeines.”

“Hazel’s Mist.” Piper’s voice sounded deep and gravely.

Percy grimaced. “Wow, Annabeth…I’m really glad I kissed you  _ before  _ you changed.”

“Thanks a lot,” She said. “We should get going. I’ll take the Doctor and we’ll move clockwise around the perimeter. Piper, you move counterclockwise. Percy, you scout the middle –”

“Wait,” Percy said. “We’re walking right into the whole blood-spilling sacrifice trap we’ve been warned about, and you want to split up  _ even more?” _

“We’ll cover more ground that way.” The Doctor said.

“We have to hurry.” Annabeth insisted. “That chanting…”

The Doctor had noticed it earlier. It was an ominous drone in the distance. The bits of gravel were trembling, skittering southeast, as if pulled towards the Parthenon.

“Right,” Percy said. “We’ll meet up at the giant’s throne.”


	12. Awaken, Mother Earth

It took an embarrassingly short time for the Doctor to find himself waking up, his entire body screaming out in pain and clutched firmly in the fist of a giant beside Annabeth and Percy, both struggling helplessly. His mind was foggy and distracted, but he remembered a painful head bonk. He couldn’t see Piper anywhere. Either she’d managed to avoid capture, or…No, she must be around somewhere.

The chanting suddenly stopped. A  _ BOOM  _ echoed across the hillside. In the Parthenon, the giants roared in triumph. 

The Doctor used this opportunity to examine his surroundings. They were in the ruins, clutched in the hands of giants before Porphyrion’s throne. The Doctor didn’t recognize the giant clutching him, but Periboia was holding Annabeth by the neck, and Enceladus had Percy wrapped in his fist.

Their captors displayed their prizes to the cheering horde of monsters, then turned to face King Porphyrion, who sat in his makeshift throne, his white eyes gleaming with malice.

“Right on time!” The giant king bellowed. “The blood of Olympus to raise the Earth Mother!”

The giant king loomed over the Doctor, Annabeth, and Percy. “They arrived just as you foresaw, Enceladus! Well done!”

Enceladus bowed his head, braided bones clattering in his dreadlocks. “It was simple, my king.”

The flame designs gleamed on his armour. His spear burned with purplish fire. He only needed one hand to hold his captive. Despite all of Percy’s power, despite everything he’d survived, in the end, he was helpless against the sheer strength of the giant…Just like the Doctor.

“I knew these two would lead the assault,” Enceladus continued. “I understand how they think. Athena and Poseidon…they were just like these children! They both came here thinking to claim this city. Their arrogance has undone him!”

“And the other?”

“He shares their arrogance.” Enceladus said. “He thinks himself not just a man but a god!”

The crowd roared.

The Doctor tried to say something, but the giant that clutched the Doctor simply squeezed him tighter. He could feel his ribs cracking beneath the giant’s fingers.

“Shut up! None of your silver-tongued trickery!”

The princess holding Annabeth drew her hunting knife. “Let me do the honours, Father!”

“Wait, Daughter.” The king stepped back. “The sacrifice must be done properly. Thoon, destroyer of the Fates, come forward!”

The wizened grey giant shuffled into sight, holding an oversized meat cleaver. He fixed his milky eyes upon Annabeth.

Percy shouted. At the other end of the Acropolis, a hundred meters away, a geyser of water shot into the sky.

King Porphyrion laughed. “You’ll have to do better than that, son of Poseidon. The earth is too powerful here. Even your father wouldn’t be able to summon more than a salty spring. But never fear. The only liquid you require from you is your blood!”

Thoon knelt and touched the blade of his cleaver reverently against the earth.

“Mother Gaea…” His voice was incredibly deep, shaking the ruins. The Doctor could almost hear the metal scaffold resonating in the ground. “In ancient times, blood mixed with your soil to create life. Now, let the blood of these demigods return the favour. We bring you to full wakefulness. We greet you as our eternal mistress!”

It was then that a Gegeines leapt from the scaffolding, sailing over the heads of the Cyclopes and ogres, landing in the centre of the courtyard and pushed its way into the circle of giants. As Thoon rose to use his cleaver, the Gegeines slashed upwards with its sword, taking off Thoon’s hand at the wrist.

The gold giant wailed. The cleaver and severed hand lay in the dust at the Gegeines’s feet. The Mist disguise then burned away to reveal Piper, standing in the midst of an army of giants, her jagged bronze blade raised threateningly.

“WHAT IS THIS?” Porphyrion thundered. “How dare this weak, useless creature interrupt?”

Piper didn’t dignify him with a response. She just attacked.

Piper had the advantage of being small, quick, and – as it turned out – completely mad. She drew her knife and threw it at Enceladus. The giant howled in pain as Katoptris impaled him.

Several giants ran at Piper, but she dodged between their legs and let them bash their heads together. She then wove through the crowd, jabbing her sword into dragon-scale fet at every opportunity and yelling, “RUN! RUN AWAY!” To sow confusion.

“NO! STOP HER!” Porphyrion shouted. “KILL HER!”

A spear nearly impaled her, but Piper swerved and kept running.

A massive sword sliced across her path and Piper leapt over it, zigzagging towards Annabeth, who was still kicking and writhing in Periboia’s grip – the Doctor was being squeezed too tight to move, but he applauded Annabeth’s unrelenting will.”

Unfortunately, the giantess seemed to anticipate Piper’s plan.

“I think not, demigod!” Periboia yelled. “This one bleeds!”

The giantess raised her knife.

Piper screamed in charmspeak: “MISS!”

At the same time, Annabeth kicked up with her legs to make herself a smaller target.

Periboia’s knife passed beneath Annabeth’s legs and stabbed the giantess’s own palm.

“OWWW!”

Periboia dropped Annabeth, alive but not unscathed. The dagger had sliced a nasty gash across the back of her thigh. As Annabeth rolled away, her blood soaked into the earth.

_ The blood of Olympus,  _ the Doctor thought with dread.

Piper lunged at the giantess. The surprised giantess glanced down as the sword of the Boread pierced her gut. Frost spread across her bronze breastplate.

Piper yanked out her sword. The giantess toppled backwards – steaming white and frozen solid. Periboia stumbled into the giant who was clutching the Doctor, sending all three of them crashing to the ground. The Doctor felt his wrist snap cleanly as he hit the ground. Of course it did. He stumbled back to his feet, his gut searing, his ribs aching, and his head spinning.

“My daughter!” King Porphyrion leveled his spear and charged.

But Percy had other ideas.

Enceladus had dropped him, probably because the giant was busy staggering around with Piper’s knife embedded in his forehead, ichor steaming into his eyes.

Percy had no weapon – somehow his sword had been confiscated or lost in the fighting – but he didn’t let that stop him. As the giant king ran towards Piper, Percy grabbed the tip of Porphyrion’s spear and forced it down into the ground. The giant’s own momentum lifted him off his feet in an unintentional pole-vault and he flipped over onto his back.

The Doctor made his way to Annabeth’s side. Neither were in any shape to fight, but that didn’t stop the Doctor from standing protectively above her, his Sonic out threateningly.

“Who wants to be the next Popsicle?” Piper was yelling, “Who wants to go back to Tartarus?”

That seemed to hit a nerve. The giants shuffled uneasily, glancing at the frozen body of Periboia. 

Fifteen meters away, Percy bent over the giant king, trying to yank a sword from the braids of his hair. But Porphyrion wasn’t as stunned as he let on.

“Fools!” Porphyrion backhanded Percy like a fly. The son of Poseidon flew into a column with a sickening  _ crunch. _

Porphyrion rose. “These demigods  _ cannot  _ kill us! They do not have the help of the gods. Remember who you are!”

The giants closed in.

Piper met the Doctor’s eyes, then shouted. “Come on, then! I’ll destroy you all myself if I have to!”

A metallic smell of storm filled the air.

“The thing is,” said a voice from above, “You don’t have to.”

At the top of the nearest colonnade stood Jason, his sword gleaming gold in the sun. Frank stood at his side, his bow ready. Hazel sat astride Arion, who reared and whinnied in challenge.

With a deafening blast, a white-hot bolt arced from the sky, straight through Jason’s body as he leapt, wreathed in lightning, at the giant king.

For the next three minutes, things were brilliant.

Jason fell on King Porphyrion with such force that the giant crumpled to his knees – blasted with lightning and stabbed in the neck with a golden gladius.

Frank unleashed a hail of arrows, driving back the giants nearest to Percy.

The  _ Argo II  _ rose above the ruins and all the ballistae and catapults fired simultaneously. Leo undoubtedly programmed the weapons with surgical precision. A wall of Greek fire roared upwards all around the Parthenon. It didn’t touch the interior, but in a flash most of the smaller monsters around it were incinerated.

Le’s voice boomed over the loudspeaker:  _ “SURRENDER! YOU ARE SURROUNDED BY ONE SPANKING HOT WAR MACHINE!” _

The giant Enceladus howled in outrage. “Valdez!”

_ “WHAT’S UP, ENCHILADAS?”  _ Leo’s voice roared back.  _ “NICE DAGGER IN YOUR FOREHEAD.” _

“GAH!” The giant pulled Katoptris out of his head. “Monsters: Destroy that ship!”

The remaining forces tried their best. A flock of gryphons rose to attack. Festus the figurehead blew flames and knocked them out of the sky. A few Gegeines launched a volley of rocks, but from the sides of the hull a dozen Archimedes spheres sprayed out, intercepting the boulders and blasting them to dust.

“PUT SOME CLOTHES ON!” Buford ordered.

Hazel spurred Arion off the colonnade and they leapt into battle. The fifteen meter fall would have broken any other horse’s legs, but Arion hit the ground running. Hazel zipped from giant to giant, stinging them with the blade of her spatha.

With extremely bad timing, Kekrops and his snake people chose that moment to join the fight. In four of five places around the ruins, the ground turned to green goo and armed gemini burst forth, Kekrops himself in the lead.

“Kill the demigods!” He kissed. “Kill the tricksters!”

Before many of his warriors could follow, the Doctor raised his Sonic and it released a high-pitched whine, causing an avalanche of rocks to collapse the tunnels, billowing plumes of dust. Kekrops looked around at his army, now reduced to six snake men.

“SLITHER AWAY!” He ordered.

Frank’s arrow cut them down as they retreated.

The Doctor would have protested, but he felt himself stumbling, his vision clouding with black spots.

The giantess Periboia had thawed with alarming speed. She tried to grab Annabeth, but the Doctor had shouted in anger and managed to get a firm grip around her knife and flipping it out of her hand, shoving it back into her hand, blade-first.

Annabeth managed to stumble back to her feet, and watched in shock as the Doctor used a weapon to defend her life.

Percy was back on his feet, Riptide once again in his hands. He looked azed. His nose was bleeding, but he seemed to be standing his ground against the old giant Thoon, who somehow reattached his hand and found his meat cleaver.

But too soon their element of surprise faded and the giants overcame their confusion.

Frank ran out of arrows. He changed into a rhinoceros and leapt into battle, but as fast as he could knock down the giants they got up again. Their wounds seemed to be healing faster and faster.

The Doctor found his movements getting more and more sluggish, getting pushed around more and more.

He could see Hazel get knocked out of her saddle at a hundred kilometers per hour. Jason summoned another lightning strike, but this time Porphyrion simply deflected it off the tip of his spear.

The giants were bigger, stronger, and more numerous. They couldn’t be killed without the help of gods, and they didn’t seem to be tiring.

The six demigods and the Doctor were forced into a defensive ring. 

Another volley of rocks from the Gegeines hit the  _ Argo II. _ This time Leo couldn’t return fire fast enough. Rows of oars were sheared off. The ship shuddered and tilted in the sky.

Then Enceladus threw his fiery spear. It pierced the ship’s hull and exploded inside, sending spouts of fire through the oar openings. An ominous black cloud billowed from the deck. The  _ Argo II  _ began to sink.

“Leo!” The Doctor shouted.

Porphyrion laughed. “You demigods have learned nothing. There are no gods to aid you. We need only one more thing from you to make our victory complete.”

The giant king smiled expectantly. He seemed to be looking at Percy.

The Doctor glanced over. Percy’s nose was still bleeding. He seemed unaware that a trickle of blood had made its way down his face to the end of his chin.

“Percy, your blood!” The Doctor shouted, but it was too late.

A single drop of blood fell from his chin. It hit the ground between his feet and sizzled.

The blood of Olympus watered the ancient stones.

The Acropolis groaned and shifted as the Earth Mother woke.


	13. Some Divine Assistance

The Doctor looked up as the clouds parted over the Acropolis. He saw black space spangled with stars, the palaces of Mount Olympus gleaming silver and gold in the background. And an army of gods charged down from on high.

At the front of the force was Zeus, riding into battle in a golden chariot, his master bolt gripped in his hand. Pulling his chariot were four horses made of wind, each constantly shifting from equine to human form, trying to break free. For a moment, one took on the icy visage of Boreas. Another wore Notus’s swirling crown of fire and steam. A third flashed the smug lazy smile of Zephyrus. Zeus had bound and harnessed the four wind gods themselves.

On the underbelly of the  _ Argo II,  _ the glass bay doors split open. The goddess Nike tumbled out, free from her golden net. She spread her glittering wings and soared to Zeus’s side, taking her rightful place as his charioteer.

“MY MIND IS RESTORED!” She roared. “VICTORY TO THE GODS!”

At Zeus’s left flank rode Hera, her chariot pulled by massive peacocks, their rainbow-coloured plumage so bright it was nearly blinding.

Ares bellowed with glee as he thundered down on the back of a fire-breathing horse. His spear glistened red.

In the last second, before the gods reached the Parthenon, they seemed to displace themselves. The chariots disappeared. Suddenly, the crew was surrounded by Olympians, now human-sized, miniscule beside the giants, but glowing with power.

Jason shouted and charged Porphyrion.

The rest of the demigods joined in.

The fighting ranged all over the Parthenon and spilled across the Acropolis. The Doctor could see Annabeth fighting Enceladus. At her side stood a woman with long dark hair and golden armour over her white robes. The goddess thrust her spear at the giant, then brandished her shield with the fearsome bronzed visage of Medusa. Together, Athena and Annabeth drove Enceladus back into the nearest wall of metal scaffolding, which collapsed atop him.

On the opposite side of the table, Frank and Ares smashed through an entire phalanx of giants – Ares with his spear and shield, Frank (as an African elephant) with his truck and feet. The war god laughed as he stabbed and disemboweled.

Hazel raced through the battle on Arion’s back, disappearing into the Mist whenever a giant came close, then appearing behind him and stabbing him in the back. The goddess Hecate danced in her wake, setting fire to their enemies with two blazing torches. The Doctor didn’t see Hades, but whenever a giant stumbled and fell the ground broke open and the giant was snapped up and swallowed.

Percy battled the giant twins, Otis and Ephialtes, whilst at his side fought Poseidon with his trident in his loud Hawaiian shirt. The twin giants stumbled. Poseidon’s trident morphed into a fire hose, and the god sprayed the giants out of the Parthenon with a high-powered blast in the shape of wild horses.

Piper was, perhaps, the most impressive of them all. She fenced with the giantess Periboia, sword against sword. Despite the fact that her opponent was five times larger, Piper seemed to be holding her own. The goddess Aphrodite floated around them on a small white cloud, strewing rose petals in the giantess’s eyes and calling encouragement to Piper. “Lovely, my dear. Yes, good. Hit her again!”

Whenever Periboia tried to strike, doves rose up from nowhere and fluttered in the giantess’s face.

As for Leo, he was racing across the deck of the  _ Argo II,  _ shooting ballistae, dropping hammers on the giants’ heads and blowtorching their loincloths. Behind him at the helm, a burly bearded man in a mechanic’s uniform was tinkering with the controls, furiously trying to keep the shift aloft.

The strangest sight was the old giant Thoon, who was getting bludgeoned to death by three old ladies with brass clubs – the Fates, armed for war. But the Doctor had learned long enough not to mess with old ladies.

Jason and Zeus were going mad on Porphyrion. Zeus slashed across the giant’s path and Porphyrion collapsed into his makeshift throne, which crumbled under the giant’s weight.

“No throne for you,” Zeus growled. “Not here. Not  _ ever. _ ”

“You  _ cannot  _ stop us!” The giant yelled. “It is  _ done! _ The Earth Mother is awake!”

In answer, Zeus blasted the throne to rubble. The giant king flew backwards out of the temple and Jason ran after him, his father at his heels.

It didn’t take long for the dust to settle and for silence to fall.

There was nothing left of the giants except the heaps of ash, a few spears, and some burning dreadlocks.

Annabeth and Percy had both left their parent’s side to assist the Doctor to his feet, though with Annabeth’s leg in the shape it was, Percy was doing most of the work.

The  _ Argo II _ was still aloft, barely, moored to the top of the Parthenon. Half the ship’s oars were broken off or tangled. Smoke streamed from several large splits in the hull. The sails were peppered with burning holes.

Leo looked almost as bad. He stood in the midst of the temple with the other crew members, his face covered in soot, his clothes smouldering.

The gods fanned out in a semicircle as Zeus approached. None seemed particularly joyful about their victory.

Apollo and Artemis stood together in the shadow of a column, as if trying to hide. Hera and Poseidon were having an intense discussion with Demeter. Nike tried to put a golden laurel wreath on Hecate’s head, but the goddess of magic swatted it away. Hermes sneaked close to Athena, attempting to put his arm around her. Athena turned her aegis shield his way and Hermes scuffled off.

The only Olympian who seemed in a good mood was Ares. He laughed and pantomimed gutting an enemy whilst Frank listened, his expression polite but looking queasy.

“Brethren,” Zeus said, “We are healed, thanks to the work of these demigods. The Athena Parthenos, which once stood in this temple, now stands at Camp Half-Blood. It has united our offspring, and thus our own essences.

A silent victory spread across the Doctor and the demigods who had yet to hear this news.

“And what about Nico?” The Doctor asked immediately.

“And Reyna?” Piper added, which was a bit strange. She had always seemed to be at odds with Reyna… “And Coach Hedge?”

Zeus knitted his foggy white eyebrows. “They succeeded in their mission. As of this moment they are alive. Whether or not they are  _ okay… _ ”

“There is still work to be done,” Hera interrupted, spreading her arms wide. “But my heroes…you have triumphed over the giants as I knew you would. My plan succeeded beautifully.”

Zeus turned on his wife. Thunder shook the Acropolis. “Hera, do not  _ dare  _ take credit! You have caused  _ at least  _ as many problems as you’ve fixed!”

Hera blanched. “Husband, surely you see now – this was the only way.”

“There is never only  _ one  _ way!” Zeus bellowed. “That is why there are  _ three  _ Fates, not one. Is this not so?”

By the ruins of the giant king’s throne, the Fates silently bowed their heads in recognition. The other gods stayed well away from the three old ladies and their gleaming brass clubs.

“Please, husband.” Hera tried for a smile, but she was so clearly terrified. “I only did what I –”

“Silence!” Zeus snapped. “You disobeyed my orders. Nevertheless…I recognize that you acted with honest intentions. The valour of these heroes has proven that you were not entirely without wisdom.”

Hera looked like she wanted to argue, but she knew well enough to keep her mouth shut.

“Apollo, however…” Zeus glared into the shadows where the twins were standing. “My son, come here.”

Apollo inched forwards, the look on his face making him look even younger than his teenage body.

The three Fates gathered around the god, circling him, their withered hands raised.

“Twice you have defied me,” Zeus said.

Apollo moistened his lips. “My – my lord –”

“You neglected your duties. You succumbed to flattery and vanity. You encouraged your descendant Octavian to follow his dangerous path, and you prematurely revealed a prophecy that may  _ yet  _ destroy us all.”

“But –”

“Enough!” Zeus boomed. “We will speak of your punishment later. For now, you will wait on Olympus.”

Zeus flicked his hand, and Apollo turned into a cloud of glitter. The Fates swirled around him, dissolving into air, and the glittery whirlwind shot into the sky.

“And his punishment?” The Doctor said. “What will it be? I can only imagine something fair and just?”

“It is not your concern,” Zeus said. “We have other problems to address.”

“It is my concern, actually.” The Doctor said. “Part of the council, remember? That was your doing.”

“We shall consult your  _ wise  _ opinion when we decide the punishment.” Zeus said. “But for now we have other things to discuss.”

“Father,” Jason suddenly said. “I would like to find a way to honour all the gods. Not just the major ones.”

All eyes turned to Jason, and he suddenly looked incredibly self-conscious. “It’s just, the Doctor, he made a promise to Kymopoleia that none of the gods would be without shrines at the camps. And it…it just made me realize, there are so many gods who are not recognized, who  _ deserve  _ to be recognized.”

Zeus scowled. “That’s fine. But…Kym who?”

Poseidon coughed into his fist. “She’s one of mine.”

“But don’t you guys see?” Jason asked. “Blaming each other isn’t going to solve anything. That’s how the Romans and Greeks got divided in the first place. The Doctor’s right. Punishing Apollo won’t solve anything, it’s –” He hesitated, searching for the right word. “Unwise.”

“Unwise.” Zeus repeated, his voice almost a whisper. “Before the assembled gods, you would call me  _ unwise. _ ”

The Doctor was about to shout something back, but it was Artemis who spoke first, stepping out from the shadows. “Father, this hero has fought long and hard for our cause. His nerves are frayed. We should take that into account.”

Jason started to protest, but Artemis stopped him with a glance that said:  _ Thank you, demigod. But do not press this. I will reason with Zeus when he is calmer. _

“Surely, Father,” The goddess continued. “We should attend to our more pressing problems, as you pointed out.”

“Gaea.” It was Annabeth who chimed in. “She’s awake, isn’t she?”

Zeus turned towards the girl.

“That is correct. The blood of Olympus was spilt. She is fully conscious.”

“Oh, come on!” Percy complained. “I get a little nosebleed and I wake up the entire earth? That’s not fair!”

Athena shouldered her aegis. “Complaining of unfairness is like assigning blame, Percy Jackson. It does no one any good.” She gave Jason an approving glance. “Now you must move quickly. Gaea rises to destroy your camp.”

Poseidon leaned on his trident. “For once, Athena is right.”

_ “For once?”  _ Athena cried.

“Why would Gaea be back at camp?” Leo asked. “Percy’s nosebleed was here.”

“Dude,” Percy said, “First off, you heard Athena – don’t blame my nose. Second, Gaea’s the  _ earth. _ She can pop up anywhere she wants. Besides, she  _ told  _ us she was going to do this. She said the first thing on her to-do list was destroying our camp. Question is: How do we stop her?”

Frank looked at Zeus. “Um, Your Majesty, Lord Zeus, sir, can’t you gods just pop over there with us? You’ve got the chariots and the magic powers and whatnot.”

“Yes!” Hazel said. “We defeated the giants together in two seconds. Let’s all go –”

“No.” Zeus said flatly.

“No?” Jason asked. “But, Father –”

Zeus’s eyes sparked with power and Jason backed up.

“That’s the problem with prophecies,” Zeus growled. “When Apollo allowed the Prophecy of Seven to be spoken, and when Hera took it upon herself to interpret the words, the Fates wove the future in such a way that it had only so many possible outcomes, so many solutions. You seven, the demigods, are destined to defeat Gaea. We, the gods,  _ cannot _ .”

“What about the Doctor?” Annabeth asked. “He’s not a part of the seven.”

“He is not of this earth, and therefore outside the domain of the Fates.” Zeus glowered at the Doctor. “As much as I detest it, he is free to roam the lands as he likes.”

The Doctor gave the god a smug look, but decided not to press it further.

“But wait,” Piper said, “I don’t get it. What’s the point of being gods if you have to rely on puny mortals to do your bidding?”

All the gods exchanged dark looks. Aphrodite, however, laughed gently and kissed her daughter. “My dear Piper, don’t you think we’ve been asking  _ ourselves  _ that question for thousands of years? But it is what binds us together, keeps us eternal. We need you mortals as much as you need us. Annoying as that may be, it’s the truth.”

Frank shifted uncomfortably. “So how can we possibly get to Camp Half-Blood in time to save it? It took us months to reach Greece.”

“The winds,” Jason said. “Father, can’t you unleash the winds to send our ship back?”

“I could slap you back to Long Island.” Zeus said.

Jason looked at his father in confusion. “Um, was that a joke, or a threat, or –”

“No,” Zeus said, “I mean it quite literally. I could  _ slap  _ your ship back to Camp Half-Blood, but the force involved…”

Over by the ruined giant throne, Hephaestus shook his head. “My boy Leo built a good ship, but it won’t sustain that kind of stress. It would break apart as soon as it arrived, maybe sooner.”

Leo straightened his tool belt. “The  _ Argo II  _ can make it. It only has to stay in one piece long enough to get us back home. Once there, we can abandon ship.”

“Dangerous,” Leo’s father warned. “Perhaps fatal.”

Nike twirled a laurel wreath on her finger. “Victory is always dangerous. And it often requires sacrifice. Leo Valdez and I have discussed this.” She stared pointedly at Leo.

It reminded the Doctor of Asclepius’s grim expression when he examined Leo. Leo intended to sacrifice himself. The Doctor wasn’t going to let that happen. Leo was so young, he had so much ahead of him, he’d done so much good…If anyone should sacrifice themself…

“Leo,” Annabeth said, “What is Nike talking about?”

Leo waved off the question. “The usual. Victory. Sacrifice. Blah, blah, blah. Doesn’t matter. We can do this, guys. We  _ have  _ to do this.”

Jason was the one to speak next. “Leo’s right. All aboard for one last trip.”


	14. Necessary Sacrifices

The last they saw of the gods, Zeus was thirty meters tall, holding the  _ Argo II  _ by its prow. He boomed,  _ “HOLD ON!” _

Then, he tossed the ship up and spiked it overhand.

Had the Doctor not been strapped to the mast with one of Leo’s safety harnesses, it was very likely that his body would’ve been spread across the continents like butter.

The sky turned black. The ship rattled and creaked. With a sonic boom (the Doctor was quite familiar with the sound), the  _ Argo II  _ hurtled out of the clouds.

“Hurry!” He could hear Leo shouting. 

The Doctor unstrapped himself and made his way towards Leo. Jason was already there, staggering towards the hold, using the winds to keep himself anchored.

Leo was lashed to the control console, desperately trying to right the ship as they spiralled downwards in a free fall. The sails were on fire. Festus creaked in alarm. A catapult peeled away and lifted into the air. Centrifugal force sent the shields flying off the railings.

The hatch then burst open. Frank and Hazel stumbled through, pulling on the guide rope they’d attached to the mast. Piper, Annabeth, and Percy followed, all of them looking disoriented.

“Go!” Leo yelled. “Go, go, go!”

The Doctor had never heard Leo’s tone be so deadly serious before.

Buford the table clattered across the deck with his holographic Coach Hedge blaring, “LET’S GO! MOVE IT! CUT THAT OUT!”

Then his tabletop split into helicopter blades and Buford buzzed away.

Frank changed form. Instead of a dazed demigod, he was now a dazed grey dragon. Hazel climbed onto his neck. Frank grabbed Annabeth and Percy in his front claws, then spread his wings and soared away.

Jason grabbed Piper and the Doctor.

The Doctor looked down at the ground that was rapidly getting closer. “Leo, you won’t make it!” The Doctor shouted, “Come with us!”

“No! Get out of here!”

“Leo!” Jason shouted. “He’s right! Come on!”

“Please –” Piper tried.

“Save your charmspeak, Pipes! I’ve told you, I’ve got a plan. Now shoo!”

The Doctor would’ve shouted something else, but Jason took that time to shoot them into the sky, his words lost to the wind.

The ground was no less chaotic.

As they plummeted, the Doctor could see a vast army of monsters spread across the hills – cynocephali, two-headed men, wild centaurs, ogres – surrounding two tiny islands of demigods. At the crest of Half-Blood Hill, gathered at the feet of the Athena Parthenos, was the main force of Camp Half-Blood along with the First and Fifth Cohorts, rallied around the golden eagle of the legion. The other three Roman cohorts were in a defensive formation several hundred meters away and seemed to be taking the brunt of the attack.

Massive eagles circled the Doctor, Piper, and Jason, screeching urgently, crying out for orders.

Frank the grey dragon flew alongside with his passengers.

“Hazel!” Jason yelled. “Those three cohorts are in trouble! If they don’t merge with the rest of the demigods –”

“On it!” Hazel said. “Go, Frank!’

The dragon veered to the left with Annabeth in one claw yelling, “Let’s get ‘em!” And Percy in the other claw screaming, “I hate flying!”

Jason veered the three of them towards the summit of Half-Blood Hill.

The Doctor’s hearts lifted the moment he saw Nico di Angelo. He was on the front lines with the Greeks, slashing through a crowd of dual-headed men. About a meter away, Reyna sat astride a new pegasus, her sword drawn. She shouted orders at the legion, and the Romans obeyed without question.

The Doctor didn’t see Octavian anywhere, but he wasn’t complaining. Neither did he see Gaea, laying waste to the world. That was good.

He, Jason, and Piper landed on the hill, their swords drawn, and a cheer went up from the Greeks and Romans.

“About time!” Ryena called. “Glad you could join us!”

The Doctor suddenly realized Reyna had been addressing Piper, not himself or Jason. Clearly something had happened that he was unaware of.

Piper grinned. “We had some giants to kill!”

“Excellent!” Reyna returned the smile. “Help yourself to some barbarians.”

“Why, thank you!”

The two girls launched into battle side by side.

Nico hurried over to them. “Doctor! Are you –”

“Fine.” The Doctor said.

“Well, I have to admit, you’ve got some awesome timing.” The Doctor was  _ not  _ about to point out how ironic that statement was. “Where’s the ship?”

Jason silently pointed as the  _ Argo II  _ streaked across the sky in a ball of fire, shedding burned chunks of mast, hull, and armament. But Leo was fireproof. He  _ had  _ to be okay.

“Oh, gods,” Nico said. “Is everyone okay?” 

“Leo…” The Doctor admitted, “He’s got a plan. He’s fine.”

Jason looked at him sympathetically. “Doctor…”

But Nico gave him an awkward pat on the shoulder. “You’re right. He’ll be fine.”

The three boys ran into the fight. 

Adrenaline forced its way through the Doctor’s veins. He was upright and moving for now…but he wasn’t so sure how long it would last for.

More and more monsters kept appearing – karpoi swirling out of the grass, gryphons diving from the sky, lumpy clay humanoids…

“They’re ghosts with earthen shells!” Nico warned. “Don’t let them hit you!”

It was obvious that Gaea had kept some surprises in reserve.

At one point a boy the Doctor recognized as Will Solace, the lead camper of Apollo, ran up to Nico and said something in his ear. Over the yelling and clashing of the blades, the Doctor couldn’t quite hear the words.

“Doctor, I have to go!” Nico said.

The Doctor nodded. “Stay safe!”

“And you!” Nico called back before turning to Jason. “Jason, make sure he doesn’t get himself killed!”

“I’ll try!” Jason said.

Nico and Will dashed off into the fray.

Reyna yelled,  _ “Eiaculare flammas!”  _ and a wave of flaming arrows arced over the legion’s shield wall, destroying a platoon of ogres. The Roman ranks moved forwards, impaling centaurs and trampling wounded ogres under their bronze-tipped boots.

Somewhere downhill, Frank yelled,  _ “Repellere equites!” _

A massive herd of centaurs parted in a panic as the legion’s other three cohorts ploughed through in perfect formation, their spears bright with monster blood. Frank marched before them. On the left flank, riding Arion, Hazel beamed with pride.

_ “Ave,  _ Praetor Zhang!” Reyna called.

_ “Ave,  _ Praetor Ramírez-Arellano!” Frank said. “Let’s do this. Legion, CLOSE RANKS!”

A cheer went up among the Romans as the five cohorts melded into one. Frank pointed his sword forwards and, from the golden eagle standard, tendrils of lightning swept across the enemy, turning several hundred monsters to dust.

“Legion,  _ cuneum formate!”  _ Reyna yelled. “Advance!”

Another cheer exploded from the right as Percy and Annabeth reunited with the forces of Camp Half-Blood.

“Greeks!” Percy yelled. “Let’s, um, fight stuff!”

They yelled and screamed as they charged.

Ah, there was nothing quite like the Greeks. They had no organization whatsoever, but they made up for it with enthusiasm.

And then, the ground shook.

The earth rippled as a hundred meters away, at the crest of the next hill, the grass and soil swirled upwards and the column of earth thickened into the six meter figure of a woman – her dress woven from blades of grass, her skin white as quarts, her hair brown and tangled like tree roots.

_ “Little fools.”  _ Gaea the Earth Mother opened her pure green eyes.  _ “The paltry magic of your statue cannot contain me.” _

As she said it, the Doctor realized why Gaea hadn’t appeared until now. The Athena Parthenos had been protecting the demigods, holding back the wrath of the earth, but Athena’s might could only last for so long against the primordial goddess.

Fear washed over the demigod army.

“Stand fast!” Piper shouted, her charmspeak clear and loud. “Greeks and Romans, we can fight her together!”

Gaea laughed. She spread her arms and the earth bent towards her – trees tilting, bedrock groaning, soil ripping in waves. All around them, monsters and demigods alike began sinking into the ground. Jason rose on the wind, grabbing the Doctor as he rose. One of Octavian’s onagers capsized and disappeared into the side of the hill.

_ “The whole earth is my body,”  _ Gaea boomed.  _ “How would you fight the goddess of –” _

_ FOOOOMP! _

In a flash of bronze, Gaea was swept off the hillside, snarled in the claws of a fifty-ton metal dragon.

Festus, reborn, rose into the sky on gleaming wings, spewing fire from his maw triumphantly. As he ascended, the rider on his back got smaller and more difficult to discern, but Leo’s grin was unmistakable.

“Pipes! Jason!” He shouted down. “You coming? The fight is up here!”

As soon as Gaea’s feet left the ground, the earth solidified.

Demigods stopped sinking, though many were still buried up to their waists. Unfortunately, monsters seemed to be digging themselves out more quickly. They charged the Greek and Roman ranks, taking advantage of the demigods’ disorganization.

Jason put his arms around Piper’s waist. The Doctor grabbed Jason’s other arm with his unbroken one. He didn’t say a word. He didn’t need to. The look in his eyes said it all:  _ Don’t you  _ dare  _ do this without me. _

He had to save Leo.

They were about to take off when Percy yelled, “Wait! Frank can fly the rest of us up there! We can all –”

“No,” The Doctor said suddenly. Before explaining, “They need you here.”

“There’s still an army to defeat.” Jason agreed. “Besides, the prophecy…”

“You have to let them do this.” Frank gripped Percy’s arm. It’s like Annabeth’s quest in Rome. Or Hazel at the Doors of Death. This part can only be them.”

“Percy very clearly did not like it, but at that moment, a flood of monsters swept over the Greek forces. Annabeth called to him, “Hey! Problem over here!” Percy ran to join her.

The Doctor, Jason, and Piper spiralled upwards on the wind.

“I’ve got the cure,” Piper murmured like a chant. “It’ll be fine. I’ve got the cure.”

The Doctor realized she’d lost her sword somehow during the battle, but that wouldn’t matter now. Not that it mattered earlier either. 

As they ascended, Jason began gathering the wind and clouds around them. The sky responded, and soon they were in the eye of a maelstrom. Lightning and thunder exploding around them.

Directly above, Festus grappled with the earth goddess. Gaea kept disintegrating, trying to trickle back to the ground, but the winds kept her aloft. Festus sprayed her with flames, which seemed to force her into solid form. Meanwhile, from Festus’s back, Leo blasted the goddess with flames of his own and hurled insults. “Potty Sludge! Dirt Face! THIS IS FOR MY MOTHER, ESPERANZA VALDEZ!”

His whole body was wreathed in fire. Rain hung in the stormy air, but it only sizzled and steamed around him.

Jason, the Doctor, and Piper zoomed towards them.

Gaea turned into loose white sand, but Jason summoned a squadron of venti, who churned around her, constraining her in a cocoon of wind.

Gaea fought back. When she wasn’t disintegrating, she lashed out with shrapnel blasts of stone and soil that was barely deflected by Jason.

They had to keep Gaea off the ground – away from her source of power.

Together they rose. Festus creaked and groaned with the effort, but he continued to gain altitude. The Doctor suddenly realized how Leo’d managed to repair Festus. All those times Leo had insisted the Doctor go work on pointless bits and pieces of the ship – as far away from the hull as he could get him…Leo had been planning this all along. He’d been building a new body for Festus within the framework of the ship.

_ “YOU CANNOT DEFEAT ME!”  _ Gaea pulled the Doctor from his mind as she crumbled to sand, only to get blasted by more flames. Her body melted into a lump of glass, shattered, then re-formed again as humanoid.  _ “I AM ETERNAL!” _

“Eternally annoying!” Leo yelled, and he urged Festus higher.

Jason, Piper, and the Doctor rose with them.

They moved in until they were right next to Gaea. The winds encased the goddess, keeping her solid.

_ “FOOLISH CHILDREN!”  _ Her face contorted with miniature earthquakes and mudslides.

“You are so weary,” Piper told the goddess, her charmspeak radiating kindness and sympathy. “Aeons of pain and disappointment weigh on you.”

_ “SILENCE!” _

The force of Gaea’s anger was so great that Jason momentarily lost control of the wind. They would’ve dropped into free fall, but Festus caught them in his other massive claw.

Incredibly, Piper kept her focus. “Millennia of sorrow,” She told Gaea. “Your husband Ouranos was abusive. Your grandchildren the gods overthrew your beloved children the Titans. Your other children, the Cyclopes and the Hundred-Handed Ones, were thrown into Tartarus. You are so tired of heartache.”

_ “LIES!”  _ Gaea crumbled into a tornado of soil and grass, but her essence seemed to churn more sluggishly.

But they were getting too high and too fast. If they gained any more altitude, the air would be too thin for the humans to breathe.

“What you want,” Piper continued, “More than victory, more than revenge…you want  _ rest _ . You are so weary, so incomprehensibly tired of the ungrateful mortals and immortals.”

_ “I – YOU DO NOT SPEAK FOR ME – YOU CANNOT –” _

“You want one thing.” Piper said soothingly. “One word. You want permission to close your eyes and forget your troubles. You – want – SLEEP.”

Gaea solidified into human form. Her head lolled, her eyes closed, and she went limp in Festus’s claw.

The Doctor could see Jason beginning to black out too.

The wind was dying, the storm dissipating.

“Leo!” Piper gasped for breath. “We only have a few seconds. My charmspeak won’t –”

“I know!” Flames rippled beneath Leo’s skin as if trying to burst out. “I can’t contain the fire much longer. I’ll vaporize her. Don’t worry. But you guys need to leave.”

“No!” The Doctor shouted. “Leo, I’m not letting you do this. You won’t –”

“Doctor!” Leo shouted. “You don’t get it do you? This is my duty. I  _ have  _ to do this And maybe – Maybe I’ll be able to see Calypso again.”

“What?”

“Please.” Leo begged. “I want to do this. Let me go.”

The Doctor stared at him. Jason put an arm around him and Piper, preparing for their descent.

Leo smiled down at them. “I love you guys.”

The Doctor tried to force himself to smile back, but it didn’t stop the tears that forced their way free and disappeared into the wind. “Goodbye, Leo.”

Festus’s claw opened, and the Doctor, Piper, and Jason fell towards the earth as the explosion turned the entire sky gold.


	15. The Calm After the Storm

The Doctor woke up to find a young boy sitting above him, a hand clutching his own.

“Nico?”

Nico smiled down. “Hi.”

He tried to sit up, his bones feeling like jell-o. He fell back to the bed. Nico helped him into a sitting position.

He examined his surroundings only to realize he was in the infirmary.

Another boy, Will Solace, walked up behind Nico, placing his chin on the boy’s shoulders. “Hey, guys.”

Nico turned bright pink and slipped out of Will’s path.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow and Nico punched him in the shoulder.

“Hey, don’t hit my patients, di Angelo.” Will scolded.

Nico muttered something under his breath as he turned away to hide his face.

“How’s the sword wound healing, then?” The Doctor asked. He meant it more as a joke, since the wound wouldn’t heal, but Will just frowned.

“What sword wound?”

The Doctor pulled up his shirt – someone had taken his trenchcoat and suit jacket – only to find that there was no smoke. No bleeding. No scar. No pain.

“Yeah, there were bandages there when I cleaned you up, and loads of dried blood but,” He shrugged. “I couldn’t find anywhere it could’ve come from.”

It was then that the Doctor realized what had happened. Imperial gold would damage not just the body, but the soul. By leaving Leo, that had been what he needed. That was his heroic act. It wasn’t defeating any monster, it was letting Leo go.

Somehow, that didn’t make him feel better.

Apparently, after the explosion, Piper, Jason, and the Doctor were plucked out of the sky – free-falling and unconscious – by giant eagles and brought to safety, but Leo did not reappear. The entire Hephaestus cabin scoured the valley, finding bits and pieces of the _Argo II’s_ broken hull, but no sign of Festus or Leo.

All the monsters had been destroyed or scattered. Greek and Roman casualties were heavy, and everyone kept saying how it wasn’t as bad as it might’ve been, but there were too many. There were way too many.

Overnight, the satyrs and nymphs had disappeared into the forest for a convocation of the Cloven Elders. In the morning, Grover had reappeared to announce that they could not sense the Earth Mother’s presence. Nature was more or less back to normal. Leo’s plan had worked. Gaea had been separated from her source of power, charmed to sleep, then destroyed in Leo’s explosion.

And Octavian was dead. That was where Nico and Will had run off to. Octavian had been priming one of his onagers, trying to knock Festus and by extension Leo, Jason, Piper, and the Doctor out of the sky. But his robes had gotten caught in the trigger rope. If he were to fire, he would get himself killed too. They had tried, Nico had assured him of that, but Octavian simply refused to listen. Nico had finally chosen to step back, recognizing there was nothing he could do.

As the boy spoke about it, the Doctor realized how conflicted the boy was. Part of him seemed to be resigned to the augur’s fate, aware that there was nothing else that could be done, but the Doctor could hear the other part of his voice, regretful and self-loathing, feeling as though he should have found a way to stop Octavian.

“The worst part,” Nico said, “Is that I realized that’s how you feel. All the time. Traveling the universe…It must be so beautiful, but so terrible. And you…you want to save everyone, but you just can’t. This kind of thing, these quests, it’s your every day, isn’t it? How do you take it all?”

“You don’t want to go.” The Doctor realized.

Nico hung his head in shame.

“I’m so sorry, Doctor…I just…”

“I understand,” The Doctor promised. “I do. Really. He glanced at Will, who had been watching the whole time in silence. “You’ve got a family here now. A home.”

Nico smiled sadly. “You’ll visit, won’t you?”

“Yeah, I –”

“No, but really, Doctor. Don’t just say you will. Please. Come spend a couple weeks with us.”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure your dad will visit.”

Nico whirled on Will in total shock, then faceplanted onto the Doctor’s sickbed. “No! It’s my worst fear come to life! You guys are gonna team up on me!”

Will and the Doctor exchanged a grin. Nico was never going to have to be alone again.

The victory celebration at camp was muted due to grief – not just for Leo, but also for the many others who had fallen in battle. Shrouded demigods, both Greek and Roman, were bruised at the campfire. Nico oversaw the burial rites.

The Doctor then found himself on the porch of the Big House, meeting up with Nico, Percy, Annabeth, Hazel, Frank, Piper, and Jason.

Jason’s head was hung, even his glasses lost in shadow. “We should have been there at the end. We could’ve helped Leo.”

“It’s not right,” Piper agreed, wiping away her tears. “All that work getting the physician’s cure, for _nothing_.”

Hazel broke down crying. “Piper, where’s the cure? Bring it out.”

Bewildered, Piper reached into her belt pouch. She produced the chamois-cloth package, but when she unfolded the cloth, it was empty.

All eyes turned to Hazel.

“How?” Annabeth asked.

Frank put his arm around Hazel. “After Delos, Leo pulled the two of us aside. He pleaded with us to help him.”

Through the tears, Hazel explained how she’d switched the physician’s cure for an illusion – a trick of the Mist – so that Leo could keep the real vial. Frank told them about Leo’s plan to destroy a weakened Gaea with one massive fiery explosion. After talking with Nike and Apollo, Leo had been certain that such an explosion would kill any mortal within a quarter of a mile, so he knew he would have to get far away from everyone.

“He wanted to do it alone,” Frank said. “He thought there would be a slim chance that he, a son of Hephaestus, could survive the fire, but if anyone was with him…He said that Hazel and I, being Roman, would understand about sacrifice. But he knew the rest of you would never allow it.”

At first, the others looked angry, but as Frank and Hazel spoke, the group’s rage seemed to dissipate. The Doctor felt no anger. Sorrow, pain, and sadness, yes, but no resentment. Not towards Hazel and Frank. Not towards Leo. Not even towards himself.

Finally, Piper let out a sound somewhere between a sob and a lugh. “If he were here right now, I would _kill_ him. How was he planning to take the cure? He was _alone!”_

“Maybe he found a way,” Percy said. “This is Leo we’re talking about. He might come back any minute. Then we can take turns strangling him.”

The Doctor smiled sadly, but said nothing.

The next day, the second since the battle, Romans and Greeks worked side by side to clean up the warzone and tend to the wounded. As it turned out, the pegasus that Reyna had been riding had been none other than Guido, and they seemed to be getting on brilliantly.

The Doctor did his best to help Will in the infirmary, running across the camp and fetching medical supplies, but Will would insist he take breaks from time to time insisting that “Just because you’re not human doesn’t mean you can’t run yourself into the ground. Trust me, I’ve seen you do it before.”

The Romans bivouacked next to the strawberry fields, where they insisted on building their standard field camp. The Greeks pitched in to help them raise the earthen walls and dig the trenches. Dakota shared his Kool-Aid with the kids from the Dionysus cabin. The children of Hermes and Mercury laughed and told stories and brazenly stole things from just about everyone. Reyna, Annabeth, and Piper were inseparable, roaming the camp as a trio to check on the progress of repairs. Chiron, escorted by Frank and Hazel, inspected the Roman troops and praised them for their bravery.

By evening, the general mood had improved somewhat. The dining hall pavilion had never been so crowded. Romans were welcomed like old friends. Coach Hedge roamed amongst the demigods, beaming and holding up his new baby boy and saying, “Hey, you want to meet Chuck? This is my boy, Chuck!”

The Aphrodite and Athena girls alike cooed over the feisty little satyr baby, who waved his pudgy fists, kicked his tiny hooves, and bleated, “Baaaa! Baaaa!”

Clarisse, who had been named the baby’s godmother, trailed behind the coach like a bodyguard and occasionally muttered, “All right, all right. Give the kid some space.”

At announcement time, Chiron stepped forth and raised his goblet.

“Out of every tragedy,” He said, “Comes new strength. Today, we thank the gods for this victory. To the gods!”

The demigods all joined the toast, but their enthusiasm seeme muted. _We saved the gods again, and now we’re supposed to thank them?_ Seemed to be the general sentiment.

Then, Chiron said, “And to new friends!”

“TO NEW FRIENDS!”

Hundreds of demigod voices echoed across the hills.

At the campfire, everyone kept looking at the stars as if expecting any moment for Leo to come back. 

He didn’t.

After a few songs, Reyna and Frank were called to the front. They got a thunderous round of applause from both the Greeks and Romans.

“Tomorrow,” Reyna said, “We Romans must return home. We appreciate your hospitality, especially since we almost killed you –”

“You almost _got_ killed.” Annabeth corrected.

“Whatever, Chase.”

 _“Oooooohhhhh!”_ The crowd said, then everyone began laughing and pushing each other around.

“Anyway,” Frank took over, “Reyna and I agree this marks a new era of friendship between the camps.”

Reyna clapped him on the back. “That’s right. For hundreds of years, the gods tried to seperate us to keep us from fighting. But there’s a better kind of peace – cooperation.”

Piper stood up from the audience. “Are you sure your mom is a _war_ goddess?”

“Yes, McLean,” Reyna said. “I still intend to fight _a lot_ of battles. But from now on we fight _together.”_

That got a big cheer.

Frank raised his hand for silence. “You’ll be welcome at Camp Jupiter. We’ve come to an agreement with Chiron: a free exchange between camps – weekend visits, training programmes and, of course, emergency aid in times of need –”  
“And parties?” Asked Dakota.

“Hear, hear!” said Conner Stoll.

Reyna spread her arms. “That goes without saying. We Romans invented parties.”

That got another big _“Oooohhhhhhhh!”_

“So thank you,” Reyna concluded. “All of you. We could’ve chosen hatred and war. Instead we found acceptance and friendship.”

Then, she walked up past the Doctor and pulled Nico gently into the firelight. The boy looked shocked, frozen like a deer in the headlights.

“We had one home,” She said. “Now we have two.”

She gave Nico a big hug and the crowd road in approval.

The Doctor smiled as Nico didn’t pull away, instead burying his face in Reyna’s shoulders as he blinked the tears from his eyes.


	16. Goodbye, But Not Forever

At dawn the Romans picked up their gear and began toting it across the hill. On the other side, a fleet of black SUVs waited to transport the legion cross-country back to California.

The Doctor was watching from through the infirmary window. Apparently Will had been giving Nico a sort of ‘grace period’ since his ‘I know he’s not technically your dad, but he’s your dad’ was in the infirmary. But now that that Doctor was up and about, Nico was ordered to at least three days of rest and ‘no more Underworldy stuff.’

“Ella the harpy is going with them, you know.” Jason approached from behind the Doctor. “She and Tyson. Even Rachel Elizabeth Dare. They’re going to work together to try to reconstruct the Sibylline Books.”

The Doctor nodded. “Good for them.”

“Could take years,” Jason said. “But with the voice of Delphi extinguished…”

“Rachel still can’t see the future.” The Doctor finished. “I’m going to head to Olympus. See what I can do. Once I get with everything I’ve got to do here, of course.”

“Hey, um, about that,” Jason said. “I want to help you.”

“What?”

“You’re right, Doctor. I want to go between the camps and help you build the shrines.”

The Doctor looked at Jason curiously. “Really?”

Jason nodded. “Yeah, I do.”

The Doctor smiled. “Brilliant. I’d love to have an extra set of hands.”

Jason then turned to Nico. “Look man, I know you already turned down a place at Camp Jupiter. I – I probably can’t change your mind about leaving Camp Half-Blood, but I have to –”

“I’m staying.” Nico admitted.

Jason blinked. “What?”

“At Camp Half-Blood.” Nico shrugged. “The Hades cabin needs a head counsellor. Have you seen the decor? It’s disgusting. I’ll have to renovate. And someone needs to do the burial rites properly, since demigods insist on dying heroically.”

“That’s – that’s fantastic! Dude!” Jason opened his arms for a hug, then froze. “Right. No touching. Sorry.”

Nico grunted. “I suppose we can make an exception.”

Jason squeezed Nico so hard, it looked like his eyes were about to pop out.

“Oh, man,” Jason said. “Wait till I tell Piper. Hey, since I’m all alone in my cabin too, you can share a table in the dining hall with me. We can team up for capture the flag and sing-along contests and –”

“Are you  _ trying  _ to scare me away?”

“Sorry. Sorry.” Jason gave a big smile. “Whatever you say, Nico. I’m just glad.”

A loud  _ whoop!  _ Cut through the air.

Over by the hearth in the centre of the common, Percy was grinning at something Annabeth had just told him. Annabeth laughed and playfully slapped his arm.

“I’ll be right back,” Nico promised Will, who’d been keeping an eye on them as he cut bandages. “Promise on the Styx.”

Will nodded reluctantly.

Nico gave a smile and he and the Doctor, made their way towards Percy and Annabeth, who were both still grinning like mad. Jason bid them farewell and headed off to talk with Piper.

“Hey, guys,” Percy said. “Annabeth just told me some good news. Sorry if I got a little loud.”

“We’re going to spend our senior year together,” Annabeth explained. “Here in New York. And after graduation –”

“College in New Rome!” Percy pumped his fist. “Four years with no monster to fight, no battles, no stupid prophecies. Just me and Annabeth, getting our degrees, hanging out in cafés, enjoying California –”

“And after that…” Annabeth kissed Percy on the cheek. “Well, Reyna and Frank said we could live in New Rome as long as we like.”

“That’s brilliant!” The Doctor grinned.

“Yeah, that’s great!” Nico agreed. “I’m staying too, here at Camp Half-Blood.”

“Awesome!” Percy said.

Nico seemed to study his face.

“So,” Nico said, “Since we’re going to be spending at least a year seeing each other at camp, I think I should clear the air.”

Percy’s smile wavered. “What do you mean?”

“For a long time,” Nico said, “I had a crush on you. I just wanted you to know.”

Percy looked at Nico. Then at Annabeth, as if to check that he’d heard correctly. Then back at Nico. “You –”

“Yeah,” Nico said. “You’re a great person. But I’m over that. I’m happy for you guys.”

“You…so you mean –”

“Right.”

Annabeth’s grey eyes started to sparkle. She gave Nico a sideways smile.

“Wait,” Percy said. “So you mean –”

“Right,” Nico said again. “But it’s cool. We’re cool. I mean, I see now…you’re cute, but you’re not my type.”

“I’m not your type…Wait. So –”

“See you around, Percy,” Nico said. “Annabeth.”

She raised her hand for a high five.

Nico obliged. Then he waved at the Doctor – a sort of dismissal – and walked back across the green, to where Will Solace was waiting for him.

The Doctor’s attempt at a quiet escape that night was somewhat unsuccessful.

In fact, Nico (Accompanied by Will), Percy, Annabeth, Piper, and Jason were waiting for him on the hill where by some godly magic, the TARDIS was waiting.

“What happened to building all those shrines, Doc?” Jason asked.

The Doctor laughed sadly. “I’ll be back. But for now, they’ve got you to build them.”

“You don’t like to finish things.” Percy observed quietly.

“Don’t like endings.” The Doctor admitted. “But I  _ will  _ be back. Just might not be with this face.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Will asked.

“I’ve got a prophecy of my own.”

“What is it?” Annabeth asked.

The Doctor hesitated.

“Come on, after all we’ve been through,” Piper said. “You can’t say you don’t trust us.”

“The prophecy says that my song is ending.” The Doctor said quietly. “And that he will knock four times.”

“Not exactly poetry.” Piper said.

“Yeah, and what’s that got to do with you changing your face?” Percy asked. “I mean, I get the whole regeneration thing makes you change your face, but ‘your song is ending,’ that’s a little vague, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, and who’s knocking four times?” Jason asked.

Nico observed the Doctor for a long moment. “You know, don’t you?” He said. “You know exactly who it is.”

“Yes, I do.”

“And you won’t tell us?” Jason said, sounding almost hurt.

The Doctor hesitated. “His name is the Master.”

“That’s almost as vague as ‘the Doctor.’” Piper laughed. But it died in her throat as she realized. “Wait, is he like, your kid or something?”

“No, no. Nothing like that.” The Doctor promised.

“Whoever he is,” Jason said, seeming to notice how anxious the Doctor appeared. “We’re here for you. You’ll always be welcome here.”

“Yeah,” Percy added. “And come pop by my mom’s sometime. She and Paul would love to see you.”

“And my dad and step-mom would love to meet you.” Annabeth said. “Properly, I mean.”

“And what about the infamous Triston McLean?” Jason asked Piper. “Will he allow an Alien kid into his household?”

“I’m over nine hundred years old!” The Doctor cried. “I think I have long-surpassed the term ‘kid.’”

“Oh, wow. It’s almost if you look like a sixteen year old boy.” Piper rolled her eyes.

“Technically my body’s seventeen.” The Doctor corrected. Then frowned. “Do I really look sixteen?”

“I would’ve said fourteen, but Piper’s a good deal nicer than me.” Annabeth shrugged.

“Oi!” The Doctor cried, but everyone was laughing.

As the laughter died down, the Doctor looked across the faces of his friends. Even after everything, they looked so happy. Finding light in the darkness. So very human.

“But really,” Annabeth said once the laughter had died down.  _ “Please _ come visit us.”

“I will.” The Doctor said. “Promise.”

“On the Styx?” Nico asked.

The Doctor hesitated, then gave a determined nod. “On the Styx.”


End file.
